£3 <0 Q. # ^f cc /? 3 4 4+^ 15 i ^T rj Q-. t\.v. ( ^W - *£^ ft o : «a $ o g 0) c «* O bfl p\ *S3 ^ fc* 8 ~c5 o. to E .<0 -O M (0 <£ •5 « CO "^ S3 o ^i -o ^ & c £ v* CL /0 2>W Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/sacramentofbaptiOOtwee BY THE REV. W. K. TWEEDIE. Second Edition, in 18mo, cloth, Price Is. 6d., THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST THE HOPE OF HIS PEOPLE. CONTENTS. Chap. I. The Necessity and Nature of an Atonement. — II. The Character of Him who offered the Atonement. — III. Some Consequences of It. — IV. Who are Partakers of the Benefits of the Atone- ment ? — V. How the difficulties connected with this Subject may be practically surmounted. Notices of the Work. " In treating the subject, Mr Tweedie has taken the Bible, and the Bible alone, as his guide. No uncertain sound is given, no false or delusive expectations are held out, and no idle speculations admitted here. The whole matter is discuss- ed with a gravity becoming its solemnity, and a fervour becom- ing its importance. The preacher is in earnest, — he is dealing with the souls of men, — and, deeply concerned for his flock, wastes no portion of his time in trifling with their eternal interests, but, concentrating his energies to the task, lays open before them the whole counsel of God, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear." — ■ Witness. " Every thing has been excluded except what was needful r.o exhibit the truth of God in its simplest form. It is, there- fore, of a nature entirely practical and devotional ; and, as Mich, it is calculated to prove extensively useful.'" — Aberdeen Journal. " This is truly a masterly and much- needed production. In those days, when so much error is afloat regarding the all- important subject of the atonement, it is gratifying to receive, from the pen of an eminent minister of our Church, a concise yet complete vindication of that ' form of sound word ' which is taught in the Confession of Faith, and the other standards of our National Establishment, as the truth of God ; and ve sincerely hope, that it will speedily find its way to public notice, so that it may answer the object of its able and pious author, which is ' solely to establish, and strengthen, and settle believers in the faith,' and that the unstable may be fortified against the seducing inroads of popular error.' 1 — Fife Sentinel. ^ The whole subject is elucidated in a clear, simple, and perspicuous manner, and with an especial view to edification, and Ave cordially recommend this work to the attentive and prayerful perusal of our readers." — Western Watchman. " We have here a brief but comprehensive view of the whole subject, in which strength of argument and forcible appeals to the conscience are happily intermixed. We con- sider this little volume an exceedingly valuable one ; and fitted at once to convince the judgment and to impress the heart." — Scottish Guardia n . Edinburgh : John Johnstone, Hunter Square. Loudon : R. GnoOiiBRiDGE. THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: NATURE, DESIGN, AND OBLIGATIONS. BY REY. WILLIAM K. TWEEDIE, EDINBURGH. EDINBURGH : JOHN JOHNSTONE, HUNTER SQUARE. LONDON : R. GROOMBRLDGE. MDCCCXLIV. ENTERED IN STATIONERS HALL. Edinburgh : Trintrd by John JOHNSTONE, High Street. k> +o'< #V g>> '& *•* PREFACE. The chief design of the following Tract is to draw attention to the Sacrament of Baptism, as a means of edification to the people of God. It is painful to ohserve how low a place it holds in the minds of many. In some districts of the country, no provision is made for the public dis- pensation of the ordinance, so that whole genera- tions have passed away without ever witnessing it in the assemblies of God's professing people. In other words, such portions of the Church have had only one sacrament, — the ordinance of Christ is superseded — and his body thereby de- frauded of a portion of its appointed food. And as in the natural body, a wound cannot PREFACE. be inflicted without pain ensuing, so in the spi- ritual body — the Church, — the deprivation now referred to has led to injurious results. Even when the Sacrament of Baptism is dispensed, it is often observed only as a decent formality de- manded by the usages of our country, — not as an ordinance of God for good to his people. It frequently serves only as a prelude to festivity, and is thus the means of increasing man's guilt, not of promoting his holiness. Experience ren- ders it difficult to decide, whether superstitious additions to Christ's ordinances, or Neologian curtailments of them, have been most injurious to His Church. It is in the hope that these evils may, in some degree, be counteracted, by the blessing of the Spirit, that the following pages are published. Among the tokens for spiritual good which ap- pear in our day of conflict and agitation, one of the most promising is the increased attention that begins to be paid to the ordinance in question. In some communities where it was recently of rare occurrence, a standing place is now secured PREFACE. V for it among the public services of the sanctuary. As an important part of religion, it begins to be viewed in a religious light ; and the author's ob- ject will be gained, for God our Saviour will be glorified, if this change for the better be promot- ed, — if men learn, in greater numbers, to " ask for the old paths, where is the good way, that they may walk therein, and find rest for^ their souls." It will be seen that controversy has been here avoided as much as the subject allowed. Though strongly convinced of the necessity of " earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints," and of " withstanding even a brother to the face," when he has swerved from the simple truth as it is in Jesus, the author yet feels that, for purposes of edification and comfort, the direct or declarative, rather than the controversial method of presenting the truth is to be preferred. With- out adverting, therefore, at least at length, to controverted points, the truth, as an antidote to error, is stated with all attainable plainness, and is now committed to the blessing of Him who VI PREFACE. alone can teach the heart, — the Spirit of the Eternal God. This little Tract is very specially commended to the study of the flock among whom it is the Author's privilege to lahour. Edinburgh, January, 1844. • - \ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Page The Nature of Baptism — the Benefits connected with it — Perversions of the Sacrament, - 1-35 CHAPTER II. Consideration of the Question, To whom should Bap- tism be administered? — Spirit in which the Discus- sion should be conducted — The Leading Arguments and Objections, _._.__ 36-64 CHAPTER III. The Manner of Dispensing the Sacrament — The Place — Opinions of Different Churches, Reformers, and Others — The Uses and Obligations of Baptism, - 65-91 CHAPTER IV. Address to Mothers, on the Importance of their duties in reference to the Spiritual Training of Children. Conclusion, 92-123 s* THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. CHAPTER I. Adaptation of Christian Religion to Man's whole Nature — The Sacraments an Instance — Neglect of Baptism — Con- sequences — The Leading Design of the Ordinance — Purity, and therefore Peace — Harmony -with Godhead's Mind, and therefore Happiness to Man — Explanation of Baptism, ac- cording to the Formula in Matthew xxviii. 19 — Other Modes of explaining it — Errors regarding it — Not meant merely for the giving of a Name — Nor to operate as a Charm — The Benefits that result from the Ordinance — Questions and Difficulties suggested by it — May it ever be neglected with Safety? — Is it necessaiy to Salvation? — Baptismal Regene- ration — Contradicted both by Scripture and Facts — What is the Portion of Infants beyond the Grave ? — Mystery con- nected with it — Grounds of Hope — The Design of God in leaving the Subject in so much Darkness — Lays a heavier Responsibility upon Parents — The Prayers of the Congre- gation — The Spirit's Blessing. It is not merely what the Bible unfolds, increas- ingly marvellous as it appears to the man of spiri- tual discernment, that commends it to the Chris- tian's heart and understanding, — it is, moreover, A 2 THE SACRAMENT the exquisite adaptation of what is said to all the varieties of human character and condition, to the joys and griefs, the vicissitudes, bereavements, and disasters of humanity. While the Scriptures are, in one sense, unquestionably the Book of Omniscience, they are, in another, as certainly the Book of human nature; insomuch that, were it possible to bjing together the nine hundred millions that live and move on our globe, and subject them all to the teaching of the Spirit, in that Book would they find all their histories written, — all their sins detected, — all their trials at once foretold and provided for. Under the in- fluence of its self- evidencing power, each one might feel as if it had been written expressly for him. Now, in order thus to adapt the religion of Christ to the necessities of men, it is so wisely planned that the gospel is preached not merely to the un- derstanding but to the senses — it is represented not merely in statements, but moreover in acts. Christ and the benefits of his redemption are de- scribed in the words of the Bible, in every form that can render them clear to the understanding, or affecting to the heart ; but they are in addi- tion embodied in certain ordinances of the Church — set forth in a form which can be tasted, OF BAPTISM. 3 touched, and handled ; and thus are they pressed upon the heart and mind through the medium of the bodily senses. Mans whole nature, in soul and body, is to be restored to moral harmony, or brought into unison with the mind of God, by the truth as it is in Jesus, and that truth, if the phrase be legitimate, is accordingly addressed to both, In one point of view, to promote man's salvation, and in another, to deepen his responsi- bility to the Judge of all, the eye as well as the conscience is appealed to by the only wise God our Saviour in the gospel. It will at once be perceived that we here refer to the Sacraments of the Church, for by means of them, the Searcher of hearts would at once address the understanding, and appeal, through the senses, to the soul. In paradise, no sacrament, in our sense of it, was needed. Man was capable of holding im- mediate communion with God without such aids, while the soul was fresh and untainted by sin. And in heaven above, no sacrament, we think, will be required, because the effects of sin will be over, and man for ever restored to the direct enjoy- ment of his God. The exclusive medium of com- munion with him there will be the glorified Re- deemer, — the meeting-place between Jehovah and 4 THE SACRAMENT the soul. But on earth, where we are laden with iniquity, where the very spirit cleaves to the dust, and where God is so habitually forgotten, we need every aid to comprehend the things of the Spirit. They must be embodied in material things to help us to enjoy them, and in mercy to the souls of men, this has been done by the author and finisher of our faith. The sacraments present, in a visible form, invisible grace, — so that spiri- tual men may taste and handle it. Now, opportunities are frequently embraced for explaining the nature of the sacrament of the Supper. Owing to the results which Scripture connects with unworthy engaging in that ordi- nance, men's consciences are sometimes quick and sensitive regarding it ; and whether to remove difficulties, to dispel superstition, or gladden the believer's soul, that sacrament is often explained, and preparation for that high solemnity is pressed on men's attention by line upon line and precept upon precept. It may have occurred to some, however, to think that far less attention is paid to the other sacrament — the ordinance of baptism. It is simi- lar in its nature, essence, and design to the former. It claims the same author — it implies similar pri- vileges, for "the spiritual part of both sacra- OF BAPTISM. 5 ments is Christ and his benefits,"* — it points to the same atoning blood — it proclaims the same mercy — and in general it promotes the same spi- ritual purposes, yet is it rarely fully explained as a means of edification and growth in grace. There may be some who cannot remember ever to have heard the sacrament of baptism fully opened up amid the other topics of Christian instruction, standing though it does, in the Word of God, as the last appointment made by Jesus before he left this world to appear in the presence of God for us. In short, we fear we must confess that this sacrament is not sufficiently explained by the teachers of religion, and is consequently under- valued by not a few ; it is lowered, by too common consent, to the rank of a ceremony divested of spiritual benefit, or at least the benefits are un- known. May we not hope, then, that by the blessing of God's free Spirit, the souls of some may learn to derive spiritual nourishment from this as from the other sacrament, if we endeavour to unfold its nature and design ? As it represents to faith the same redeeming love and cleansing blood, — as it speaks of purity and peace, and restoration to God's favour, just as the other sacrament does, * Larger Catechism. A 2 6 THE SACRAMENT — may not the hope be cherished that the be- liever's faith will be strengthened, his views of the gospel enlarged, his soul baptized with the Holy Spirit as with purifying fire, while this last institution of Christ, this mode of presenting the gospel to the eye, is explained ? Believers can testify from experience, that it is calculated to promote their growth in grace, and their comfort in the faith. How profitable, therefore, could that benefit be increased and extended ! Turning, with this design, to the Scriptures of truth as the origin and fountain of all saving knowledge, you find the authority of Christ, to whom " all power in heaven and on earth was given," for a certain simple ordinance. The object of Christ's mission to our world, — his death, re- surrection, and ascension, — was to purify to him- self a peculiar people. In regard to man, every thing that the Saviour did was designed to restore and advance him to moral perfection, and render him fit for dwelling with the pure and perfect God. "Whether you consider the doctrines which the Redeemer taught, or the example which he left us, or the few and simple ceremonies which he ap- pointed, you will discover this to be the aim of them all, — to make man pure, or restore to his nature the image of his God. So completely is this J: OF BAPTISM. 7 the case, that the man who has not discovered that personal purity is the grand result — the terminat- ing point of Christ's religion regarding sinners, — has jet to discover the real excellence and glory of the Christian scheme. In this point of view, " to bring a clean thing out of an unclean" may be regarded as the chief glory of the gospel plan. It is not merely pardon and acceptance which that plan provides for, momentous as these are to our race. So prone are we, by nature, to selfishness, that it is largely mixed up even with the religion which we hold. If men are safe, they seek for nothing more, and hence, the aims and desires of many point only to justification, — or the pardon of their sins, and the accept- ance of their persons, — as the grand and the final result of their faith. But the Christian who has risen, by the grace of God, above the dominion of selfishness, knows that " holiness to the Lord " is the terminating point of true Religion. " This is all the fruit to take away sin." We are to be " changed into Christ's image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord ; " in brief, holiness of heart and soul is the ultimate object of our faith. The " peculiar people " are to be " zealous of good works." While the glory of God is to be the result that shall stretch through THE SACRAMENT eternity, that glory is promoted by the sanctifi- cation of man, or restoring to his soul the image of his God. Following out that design, then, the Redeemer appointed the sacrament of baptism in the words, " Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptiz- ing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Taking water as the universal emblem of purity, or the means of promoting it, he commanded men to be baptized therewith, in token of their inward purifying by the Spirit of God. Whether you view the word " baptize " * as meaning to sprinkle, or to dip, or immerse, the meaning of the ordinance is the same; it points to the necessity of being cleansed from sin, ere God can make us truly blessed, — of personal purity, ere we can enjoy the Holy One. It is the effect, not the mode, of the ordi- nance that is to be considered ; and it tells that the baptized should follow after " whatsoever things are pure, and lovely, and of good report." By this sacrament, men should be placed in the ranks of Christ's peculiar people, — their pecu- liarity, we repeat, consists in their holiness; so * According to Scapula and Stephanus, the word means to wash, or wash away. Suidas translates fiocrri^w by made- facto, lavo, abluo, purgo, mundo. OF BAPTISM. 9 that, without farther explanation, it may appear to the reflective reader, that when the Redeemer said, " Go, teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," he just indirectly said, " Go, promote purity among them. Go, see that they be cleansed from dead works, — while clean water is sprinkled upon them according to one part of the prophecy, see that the spirit of God be within them, to cause them to walk in his statutes, to keep his judgments and do them, according to the other. Thus make sure that men perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord, and prepare for that abode into which nothing that defileth can enter." As light hath no com- munion with darkness, nor Christ with Belial, God can hold no communion with unholy man, and therefore, as a means of promoting holiness in the Church of Christ, as well as of admitting within its pale, the sacrament of baptism was appointed. It is one of the steps in the way which reconducts us to our God. Now, aiming at the promoting of that end, we would endeavour, in this and the following sec- tions, to answer in detail the following questions :— I. "What is meant by Baptism ? 10 THE SACRAMENT II. What are the benefits that flow from it ? III. To whom is Baptism to be administered, or who may claim it ? IY. What is the proper manner of adminis- tering it ? And, Y. What are the responsibilities that follow it ? 1. As to our first inquiry, What is meant by the sacrament of baptism ? the words of institu- tion may enable us plainly to reply. In that sacrament, the name of God the Father is pro- nounced over us, so that we profess to fear, and love, and reverence, and obey him as our Father. Looking to Jehovah's character as revealed in Scripture, as " the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and our God and Father in him, we profess at baptism to believe in him accord- ingly. It is not merely the deist's God — the God of nature, — that we there believe in, but the God of grace, who hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts. It is not merely the God of providence, whom nature, in one sense, may teach us to adore ; it is the God of redemption, as the Scriptures make him known, that we vow to serve. We declare that we would cease to be his enemies, and become his children. We would cast away the spirit of bondage, and act in the OF BAPTISM. 1 1 spirit of adoption — we would become " the chil- dren of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Remem- bering the complaint of old, " If I be a Father, where is mine honour?" we vow, in the ordinance of baptism, that we design to serve God, as chil- dren delight to serve the parent whom they love. In short, all the obligations that are involved in the filial relation are superadded in baptism to those which already bind the creature to obey the Creator. Then, the name of God our Saviour is pro- nounced over us at baptism, and by that we declare that we take him for our prophet to in- struct us, our priest to atone for, and our king to rule us. We disclaim and renounce all saviours but him, and all righteousness but his. "We " avouch the Lord to be our God." We resolve to " glory only in the Lord," or " in the cross of Christ," — to rest only on the foundation which he lays, and build on it in the strength which he supplies. Whatever spiritual blessing we need, whether it be deliverance from the power, or cleansing from the pollution, or escape from the punishment of sin, — whether it be a Spirit to sanctify, or a law to guide, — the name of the Saviour pronounced over us declares that he is our strong tower, to which we flee for safety and 1 2 THE SACRAMENT defence. We " honour the Son even as we honour the Father." We act in the spirit of the Saviour's merciful lesson, — " Ye believe in God, believe also' in me," so that the obligations that lie on us, as the creatures and the children of God, are here reinforced by the obligations that bind the redeemed to the Redeemer. And next, the name of God the Spirit is pro- nounced over us at baptism, by which is meant, that we receive him to sanctify our natures, as we receive Christ to justify our persons. We open our hearts to receive him to dwell in us, as in his temple. We undertake, in his own strength, to live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit, — whether it be power to grow in holiness, or to bear the ills of life, — whether it be grace to say that Jesus is the Lord, or to copy the example w T hich he set, — whether it be love, or joy, or peace, or hope, or any other grace, we profess that all is to be sought by the Spirit, or it can never be obtained. The Eternal Spirit alone is able to sprinkle us from dead works, by the blood of which the water in baptism is an emblem ; and all this, according to the Word of God, is meant by our baptism into the Spirit's name, — we there- by profess, that for all this, the Spirit is to be hon- oured, sought, adored. Admitted as we are into OP BAPTISM. 13 Christ's visible Church by this rite, we profess and declare that we mean to live like Christ's people, — and they " walk not after the fesh but after the Spirit" enjoying " the comfort of the Holy Ghost." As God's children, we thus vow to obey him, — as his redeemed, we vow to trust and to love him, — as renewed or led by his Spirit, we vow not to vex or grieve him. Such is plainly the meaning of baptism, ac- cording to the words employed in the ordinance. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, — Jehovah, — the God of the Bible and of Christians, is here taken for our God, our Saviour, and Sanctifier, — the author of all our blessings, the God of all grace. 2. But, farther to facilitate the comprehension of this subject, we may present it in various other lights, and remark, that in the ordinance of baptism, we see a representation of Christ's blood shed for his people, and of Christ's Spirit shed abroad in their hearts. These two, we think, exhaust the meaning of baptism, as embodying the vital truths of the Christian religion. Polluted by nature, and therefore wretched, unless we be purified we cannot be happy ; and to purify us, the blood of sprinkling is applied to the conscience. 14) THE SACRAMENT But though we have once heen purified, we would soon sink back into pollution, if left to ourselves ; and, therefore, the Spirit is shed abroad in the heart — we are led and guided by the Spirit of God. Without Christ's blood there could be no pardon, and without Christ's spirit, we could not enjoy a pardon, although it were bestowed. Both of these are accordingly represented in the ordi- nance appointed by Christ for introducing his people into his Church, and they who thus under- stand it, may walk in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. At the very threshold of the Church, its most important doctrines are avowed — the Trinity is the Christian's God, the Atonement his hope, the Spirit his comforter, and then, in sorrow, he will soothe, — in ignorance, he will teach, — in weakness, he will strengthen, — under conviction of sin, he will lead to the fountain opened for it, — and thus men may learn from their own ex- perience, re-echoing the word of their God, that, just as Jehovah creates, the Redeemer saves, and the Holy Ghost sanctifies; — all this is represented in baptism ; and, by the blessing of God upon it, the believer is gradually ripened for glory. Or, you may regard baptism, farther, as a Sign of the pardon of sin, according to the text, " Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sin." OF BAPTISM. 15 The blood of sprinkling, represented in the ordi- nance by the common symbol of cleansing, ap- plied to the conscience and the sonl by the Eternal Spirit, purifies it from pollution, and fits the believer for approaching to his God. The ordinance is thus a lively emblem of the blessed change produced in the sinner's state by Him " who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood." Without shedding of blood there could be no remission; but the blood of the covenant is sprinkled by the Spirit on the soul, and the believer is " washed, and sanctified, and justified." Not that the external act can produce that result, or benefit the soul in any sense, for baptism is " not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God;" but even in the im- penitent and unbelieving, the purpose of God standeth sure ; the ordinance is a sign of spiritual blessings, — of freedom from guilt by Christ's atoning death, from pollution by his blood, and from the dominion of indwelling sin by his grace. Wherever there is faith in the heart, these benefits are imparted ; and to be thus bap- tized, is to be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Or, in still another point of view, you may regard baptism as a sign or an emblem of our 16 THE SACRAMENT Regeneration. In the case of believers, "the heart is" not merely "sprinkled from an evil conscience," — " the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost," are, moreover, the terms in which the spiritual nature of the ordinance is indicated, and its benefits described; and though we shall forthwith discover that baptism and regeneration are not merely not the same, but often entirely separated by man's ungodliness, yet is the out- ward act a sign of the inward grace, — of our being born of the Spirit, and brought out of our condition of enmity and estrangement, into one in which we are the children of God and joint heirs with Christ. When the baptized believer enters the Church of Christ by the appointed ordinance, he is supposed to leave the world, in as far as it is sinful, behind him, — " the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life," are under- stood to be abjured. If he be honest, or if he be not self-deceived, in the profession which he makes, or the vow r s under which he comes, " old things have passed away, and all things become new." The energies of his mind have taken a new direction, and the affections of his heart have found objects of new and ever-growing engross- ment. He lives for God and eternity, not for self and time. OF BAPTISM. 17 But, -while baptism is thus an emblem of the blessings guaranteed to believers by the New Covenant, — the pardon of sin, the purifying of conscience, the renewing of the soul ; in short, the restoring of man to the rank of which sin deprived him, — it is also a Seal of that covenant, a proof or pledge that all its benefits will be assuredly conveyed to believers. As men ratify and confirm their deeds by affixing their signa- ture and seal, our covenant God has given to sinners the guarantee of a similar procedure. God's Word had been enough, — on that our eternal all might have been ventured; for "blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed." But, to embolden the timid, and uphold the weak, the covenant of grace is completed as other cove- nants are, by affixing the seals — the sacraments — to the deed. (Rom. iv. 11.) Spiritual blessings are thereby guaranteed, and the believer's soul made a partaker of the benefits which Christ is exalted to bestow. Men can thus firmly take hold of what the gospel freely offers, and walk in new- ness of life with him who is at once the origin and substance of all their joy. If the blood of sprink- ling be applied to my conscience, shall I count it an unholy thing ? If I am ingrafted upon Christ, shall I use the strength which he supplies in b 2 18 THE 'SACRAMENT committing the sins which nailed him to a tree ? If I am now enrolled among God's peculiar people, am I free to be the friend of the world, and smile connivance on its ungodly maxims ? It is thus that the believer realizes the hallowing effect of the ordinance in question ; — on the one hand, a seal is affixed to the covenant on God's part, to confirm his truth ; on the other, -the benefits are sealed and applied to the believer's soul ; — and, taught by the Spirit of God, he ex- perimentally knows, that while men may be ex- posed to judgment for desecrating this sacrament, as well as for unworthily engaging in the other, the souls of the people of God may here be made glad with the abundance of their father's house. They are thus affianced to their God, and may live anticipating the blessedness of his home, — a bless- edness which consists in holiness, and which shall be proportioned hereafter to our attainments here. The ordinance of baptism, it will now be per- ceived, is not what many seem to think it, — a mere ceremony for bestowing on their children a name. It has been degraded to that rank, we fear, by not a few w r ho hold but the letter of religion. Many among us are " weak and sickly," because they have not } T et been taught OF BAPTISM. 1 9 spiritually to understand the ordinance of the Supper ; and are not the same results produced •when the other sacrament is so utterly perverted, as to be regarded only as a decent form of attach- ing to our children or others the name which they shall wear through life ? "What can result from such a perversion of the holiest ordinance, but deadening to the conscience, and dishonour to our God ? Neither is it what superstition sup- poses — a ceremony that will operate like a charm on our little ones when they die ; for this also is the opinion of many who are not taught by the Spirit of God. They attach importance to it, but what is the ground for their opinions regarding it they do not comprehend. It is a mysterious something, but how it benefits the soul is unknown and unheeded by many. They are tremulously alive to its importance, w r hen their children are sick unto death ; and yet they cannot tell how it can benefit, or promote their blessedness. But viewed as the Christian should ever do, it represents spiritual things under mate- rial emblems, and is meant to serve as a vehicle for making us partakers of them, when blessed by the Spirit of God. It reminds us, we have seen, of the blood of sprinkling, — it at once asserts that man is morally polluted, and proclaims the neces- 20 THE SACRAMENT sity of being made morally pure, — it tells that God will not pardon without also purifying, and that the sprinkling of Christ's blood alone can cleanse, — it admits us into Christ's visible Church, where all should purify themselves according to the standard which the Saviour set up, — it re- peats to us the Saviour's words, " Except a man be bom again, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven ;" and all this the rite of baptism con- firms, by considerations the most cogent that earth can ever know. The solemnity of an oath (an oath of allegiance to God), of which the or- dinance partakes, gives additional weight to the transaction, — and if our own pollution, Christ's cleansing blood, and the Spirit's sanctifying power r be the truths embodied in it, or pressed on our at- tention, all may see that it is in fact a compend of the gospel, — a means of grace of unutterable impor- tance as bearing on the soul, and its eternal portion. But this brings us to reply to the second question, suggested to us by the words of institu- tion, or, What are the benefits that are actually derived from baptism ? 1. Let it be scrupulously observed that no bene- fits can be enjoyed by any but believers. God may be found of those that seek him not, for, as OF BAPTISM. 21 the sovereign Lord of all, he refuses to be limited even by the sinfulness of man. But without faith it is impossible to please him, and the ordi- nance in question is but a solemn mockery, un- less that parent grace be regulating the heart and soul. With this in view, then, we remark, that as this ordinance is the doorway of entrance into the visible Church, it makes us, externally, fellow- citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. The benefits of baptism may therefore be easily summed up in this point of view, for it mat/ admit to all the blessings hestowed on man, through means qf the Church on earth. Through that Church does God communicate all the spi- ritual blessings he will ever vouchsafe to man. We do not mean by this, any single section of the Church, as if salvation were attached to it, while all the others are excluded ; — that is an opinion which only intense spiritual darkness could origi- nate, or once originated, sustain; — but we mean that God is pleased, in all ordinary cases, to impart spiritual blessings only through means of the Church of his Son, the Holy Catholic Church, — "His tody, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." It is there that the manifold wisdom of God is dis- played, — the mystery of godliness, in one point of view, made plain, — the Spirit of Jehovah appoint- 22 THE SACRAMENT ed to dwell in his people, — and grace nurtured till all be lost in love. Now, baptism constitutes our ad- mission into the visible Church, and it thus instru- mentally leads to all the benefits connected there- with. We become interested there in the prayers of all its people. The lessons and admonitions of the Church are brought to bear on the conscience and the heart. We may be admitted to share all the blessings made sure in the new covenant. The heart may be purified, the life made holy, and the soul brought under those influences which God will bless to fit and ripen it for a higher state of being, where communion with God in Christ will constitute the life of the soul. When you place your little ones at school, you expect them to make progress in things pertaining to this life, — to advance from attainment to attain- ment till they have made the acquisitions which their path through this world demands; and by a similar law, when brought by baptism into the Church of Christ, we are there made partakers of its benefits, — the Church on earth becomes a nursery or school for the Church in heaven. The children of God, so often wayward prodigals, are guided back to their Father's house, — they are "builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." OF BAPTISM. 23 2. But what effects or benefits are connected •with the act of baptism itself? We have spoken of those that follow it, when men are admitted as believers to the visible Church, and the blessings bestowed through it, when they stand outwardly in a new relation to the world, and inwardly, as believers, to God. But are there any benefits or blessings immediately and directly connected with baptism itself? We reply, that in the case of believers, baptism is not merely a Sign, it is the means of imparting spiritual blessings to the soul, — it not merely re- presents them to the eye, it is the means or the channel of conveying them into the heart. You read, for example, that Paul baptized the house- hold of Stephanas ; and suppose that faith was in exercise when that act was performed, then not merely was the party admitted to a place in the visible Church, or to the enjoyment of the sign, — the thing signified was, moreover, imparted.* In consequence of true and living faith, the soul * " The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment of time when it is administered; yet, notwithstanding, by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost, to such (whether of age or infants) as that grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's own will, in his own appointed time." — Confession of Faith, chap, xxviii. § 6. 24 THE SACRAMENT was ingrafted into Christ, — it was made a par- taker of his spiritual benefits, and taught to en- joy a portion of the liberty which he bestows. At the same time, faith was confirmed and in- creased by the ordinance, and from that hour the baptized believer was signalized from all the men around him, except his fellow-believers. The seeds of corruption began to be extirpated. The principle of spiritual vitality was planted and thenceforth watered in the soul. Eternal life had begun ; for, being ingrafted upon one that cannot die, the soul of the believer, at baptism, in effect, takes possession of eternal life, — he is sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise unto the clay of re- demption. We thus become members of Christ's body, of his flesh, and of his bones. We are made one spirit with the Lord, and partakers of all the benefits which he purchased by his death. As the blood in the human body circulates from the heart through all the frame, from Christ, the Christian's living Head, do vigour and vitality flow to all the living members, through the ordi- nances of his house. But let it be carefully noticed, these effects are not produced in all the baptized. Far from pro- ducing benefits, baptism may be perverted to deepen guilt. The name of Father, Son, and OF BAPTISM. 25 Holy Ghost, according to the words of institution, may be pronounced over some whose condemna- tion is all the more certain and all the more just. Vows may be broken, and apostacy committed. As in the ordinance of the supper, so in the ordi- nance of baptism, the heart may be withheld from God, the external ceremony may be all that is re- garded, and guilt of the deepest degree ma}' thus be contracted. It has been tersely said, and the saying is true, that many, by neglecting the great end and design of their baptism, do "falsify a trust, and bury a talent, and abuse a privilege, and contradict a profession, and break an oath, and violate a vow." Yet though many may thus render the sacra- ment of baptism worse than useless, because it possesses no intrinsic power apart from the faith of the receiver and the blessing of God, the bene- fits which belong to it by Christ's appointment are still represented and applied to believers in the ordinance. Pardon through Christ's blood, an interest in his righteousness, regeneration through his Spirit, are sealed on their souls by the ordi- nance, as an instrument. In one sentence, we have seen that baptism is one of the seals of the covenant of grace, and all that the new cove- nant provides for the believer is made sure to c 26 THE SACRAMENT him when he comes in faith to the initial rite, appointed by Christ for his people. That rite is to him what a deed of infeftment is to the owner of an estate, — it puts him in sure possession. To the man that is devoid of faith, baptism is only what the map of that estate would be, represent- ing it to all, conveying it to none.* Connected with the benefits of baptism, many questions are started by inquisitive minds, some of which it might be profitable to discuss. For example, some classes of nominal Christians deny the necessity of baptism, and baptize neither infants nor adults. t They deny the depravity of man, the doctrines of the Trinity, and Atonement, and, as the ordinance presupposes all these, as it proves, and proceeds upon their truth, some suppress the rite of Christ's appointment, which demonstrates them all divine. Hence arises the question, Is it necessary as a Christian rite? and the words of institution furnish a reply, — " Go, teach and baptize all nations." Just as surely as men * Matthew Henry. T " Mr Emlyn, and several of the Socinians, have maintained that baptism was and is only to be used by those who are con- verted to Christianity from a different profession, the pollu- tions of which are considered washed away by it." — Doddridge, Lectures on Pneumatology, &c. ii. 297. OF BAPTISM. 27 are to be taught the Christian religion, are thej to be baptized into Christ's name. A command from him, to whom all power in heaven and on earth is given, it cannot be safe to set aside. "We are Christ's disciples only if we do whatsoever he commands ; and to oppose his authority is, in fact, to disown him as Lord, or dethrone him as King in Zion.* 2. But another class of professing Christians, rushing into another extreme, hold that baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation, and that all who die unbaptized die unsaved.t In consequence of this superstition, the heart of many a bereaved pa- rent has been doubly wounded; but on this point the words of Scripture appear carefully explicit ; for it is written, " He that believeth and is bap- tized shall be saved ; he that believeth not shall be condemned." That is, condemnation does not follow the want of baptism, — else how had the crucified malefactor gone with Christ to para- dise? — but the want of faith. To neglect this ordinance is no doubt to sin, because Christ com- * " The Quakers assert that water baptism was never in- tended to continue in the Church of Christ any longer than ■while Jewish prejudices made such an external ceremony ne- cessary." — Dodd., ubi supra, 296. *T The Council of Trent pronounced an anathema on all who denied the absolute necessity of baptism to salvation. 28 THE SACRAMENT manded it to be observed, and wherever it is wil- fully contemned, guilt is contracted,* — nay, by neglecting: it, we show that we are not his dis- cs & ' ciples (John, xv. 14); but to make salvation to depend on the ceremony, is to attach that conse- quence to the sign which belongs only to the thing signified — to the work of man, which flows only from the power of the Spirit of God. 3. Or again, others hold that baptism is always accompanied by regeneration, that is, they assert that every baptized person is regenerated, or born again. t But, waiving all theoretical or abstract speculations regarding this doctrine, does it appear from experience and fact, that all who are baptized have the heart changed ? Is conformity to Christ, and love to God, produced in the soul of every baptized person ? Can it be believed that men who live in grossest sin, and too often die without any token of repentance, to which even affection, or * " Although it be a great sin to contemn and neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably an- nexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly re- generated." — Confession of Faith, chap, xxviii. § 5. ■f* " We yield thee most hearty thanks, most merciful Fa- ther, that it hath pleased thee to regenerate this infant with thy Holy Spirit, to receive him for thine own child by adop- tion, and to incorporate him into thy holy Church," &c. — Directory for Bajitism in Church of England. OF BAPTISM. 29 Christian hope might cling, are indeed, and in truth, the children of God, born of the Spirit, and renewed in the spirit of their mind ? Are they adopted into God's 'family, and made joint heirs with Christ ? On the contrary, is it not declared that such men are the children of the wicked one ? is it not made plain that they are without God, and without hope in the world ? Nay, has not the God of truth, in his Word, declared of one that was baptized, " Thou hast neither part nor lot in these things ? " Far, therefore, from conclud- ing that they were regenerated in baptism, it were wiser to conclude that that holy ordinance, per- verted by them, will immeasurably deepen their guilt. If by regeneration men mean what the Scriptures mean, namely, a thorough change of nature, by the power of the Holy Ghost, the event proves that their theory of baptismal rege- neration is baseless. If they mean by that word something else than the Scripture means, it is needless to dispute against their perversions. If outward acts may stand for inward grace, and if the hand of man can perform the functions of the Spirit of God, all the baptized may be reckoned regenerated ; but the Christian at least, whom the Holy Ghost makes w T ise, will feel that his new nature is outraged, when men speak of infidels, c 2 'SO THE SACRAMENT and the profane of every name, as all regenerated, or " made the children of God," by baptism, — as " regenerated by the Holy Ghost," and adopted into God's family. 4. Or, farther, connected with this subject there is one question of a touching and tender nature, to which we would briefly refer, although in doing so we anticipate, — What is the portion of the souls of those children who die in infancy ? There is no topic on which a bereaved parent's heart yearns more earnestly for clear information than this ; and yet there are few topics on which the Bible is more silent, than as regards the portion of departed infancy. It does seem strange, it baffles human solution, when w r e see the little ones of a few months, or days, or hours' duration, sometimes expiring amid agony worse than is the lot of the wicked, who " have no bands in their death." And yet more baffling is the fact, that God, who could have told us all, has told us well-nigh nothing of the portion of infancy beyond the grave. That death makes fearful havoc among them is certain ; for a large pro- portion seem to be born only to suffer and to die, — and yet the mystery is not cleared up by Him who doeth all things well. A few hints, or a few OF BAPTISM. 31 glimpses into the Godhead's purpose, we may gather from the Scriptures, but there is no pre- cise information in so many words, — and why ? Why did He who " loved little children, and commanded us to bring them to Him," tell us so little regarding their hereafter ? " God is love." " As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pities them that fear him." May we, there- fore, without seeking to be wise beyond what is written, reverently inquire, "Why are we left in doubt, when certainty could have been so easily imparted ? We think the answer is plain, though trying. God would have us to intrust our best- loved treasures implicitly to him. He would have us to repose on the assurance, " Will not the Judge of all the earth do right ! " It is a measure adopted by the Allwise to make parents doubly watchful unto prayer for the well-being of their children. In a matter so signally touch- ing, God would have us to be still, and know that he is God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ; and the Holy One would call that faith into active and confiding operation regarding all that is pre- cious and dear. Meanwhile we have enough to foster hope; and when this world, and all its deaths and mysteries are over, it will be seen that 32 THE SACRAMENT " He hath done all things well,"-— not one heir of glory, or of " all that are given to Christ," will come short of the purchased possession. We have enough, I say, to foster hope. God has taken to himself the character of a Father. The Saviour appeared on earth in the character of God's dear Son, in whom all the families of the earth are to be blessed. His love flowed forth with signal tenderness toward the young, insomuch that he chose childhood as an emblem of the character of his redeemed (Matt, xviii. 8) ; and on these may bereaved parents found a hope for their children's eternity. Let faith exist in the mind of the father or the mother, as the little one is rendered back to the God that gave it, and at last it will be seen that " of such is the kingdom of God." Be it ours, I repeat, to dedicate our little ones in faith to God, to remember that his vows are on us, and on them through us, and in the use of the appointed means, the promised blessing will be ours. To come without faith, is to do all that we can to ruin, not to save, our offspring ; for whatever may be the meaning attached to the words, " I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me," this much is certain, that or BAPTISM. 33 the parent who seeks the "baptism of his little one in an unbelieving state, can obtain no bless- ing, as he comes not to the Father through the Son, apart from whom he refuses to be ap- proached. While you seek the sign, then, be- lieve, and pray for the thing signified. Let the grace of God be thus the legacy which you be- queath to your little ones, and by this process, when the fathers are silent in the grave, or re- joicing before the throne, there may be a seed prepared for the service of Him w r ho said, " The promise is to you and to your children, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call." And is it not true, that as often as a child is presented to God to be baptized into his name, the little one, through that act, is cast upon the prayers of the people of God ? Should not the death of every infant, and the mystery that hangs over the infant's portion beyond the grave, prompt the earnest petition, that baptism and regenera- tion may, in this case, be indeed the same ? How far are we innocent if the prayer of faith be with- held ? Or what title has that parent to expect the salvation of his little one, who neglects the means of God's appointment, or regards them only in the letter ? The sovereignty of God in his mercy may prevent despair, — the covenant 34 THE SACRAMENT holds out no hope, for faith is the condition of our partaking of its benefits.* On the other hand, let the little one be believingly dedicated to God ; he becomes God's property, not ours ; and should the heart of father and of mother have to bleed when they see that mystery, — inexplicable but for the Bible, — their little infant die, such words as these may be blessed to sustain and soothe them, — " The promise is to you and to your chil- dren : " " of such is the kingdom of heaven :" "I will be a God to you and to your seed after you." But let it never be forgotten that here, as in every ordinance, the Spirit of God must work, or vain alike are the lessons and the ceremonies of man. It is not more certain that the Son of God is the only and exclusive Saviour, than it is that the Spirit alone can teach us to profit by the ordi- nances of God's house. His power must be put forth, or all is but water spilt on the ground; and this explains why there are so many of the baptized who trample on their vows, — the Spirit is not honoured, he is grieved, and he is quench- ed. And the same blessed truth explains why the people of God are built up in holiness and comfort, through faith unto salvation, why they go on their way rejoicing, — because the Spirit * See Larger Catechism, Quest. 32. OF BAPTISM. 35 whom they honour guides to the Redeemer whom they love. Though one were to rise from the dead, man would not be thereby persuaded to believe. He might be startled or aw r e-struck, he would not be converted. It is only w r hen the Spirit of Jehovah blesses the ordinance that spi- ritual life is imparted, or the freedom of God's people enjoyed. 36 THE SACRAMENT CHAPTER II. The Figures employed in Scripture regarding Baptism — To ■whom is the Rite to he administered ? — To Believers — And their Infant Offspring — Difficulties of the Question — Mode of arguing for Infant Baptism not always conclusive — Pre- sumptive Arguments — Positive — The Right of Infants rests on Nature of Ordinance itself — It is a Seal of Covenant of Grace — Infants maybe Subjects of Grace, and may therefore have the Seal — Analogy between Baptism and Circumcision — The Argument derived from it — Other Arguments — The Obligations laid on Parents — Errors Originating in Unscrip- tural Views of the Ordinance — Want of Preparation — En- couragements held out to Parents — Position of those who, in an Unconverted State, engaged in the Ordinance, but are now, Converted — Their Obligations. Those who have made baptism a matter of atten- tion and of careful thought, may have noticed the strong and peculiar language in which it is some- times referred to in the Bible. For example, a baptized person is said to be buried with Christ in baptism, and to rise with him to newness of life. " Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his OF BAPTISM. 37 death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death : that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." — (Rom. vi. 3-5.) Baptism thus involves in it some- thing like a burial and a resurrection. It is the act by which we declare our purpose to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness, — to be crucified to the world, and have the world crucified to us, — to have our lives hid with Christ in God, so that while we live, we live not unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for our sins, and rose for our justification. In another passage it is written, that " by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body." (1 Cor. xii. 13.) That is, all of us who have been bap- tized, not merely by man, but by the Holy Ghost, are made one Spirit with the Lord, and members of his true Church on earth. "We are united to a common Lord by the bond of a common spirit, " whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free." We become members of the great family in heaven, and on earth, which is named after Jesus Christ. In yet another passage it is written, " as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Gai. iii. 27.) That is, if we be in- 38 THE SACRAMENT deed and in truth believers in him, baptized not merely by man, but by the Holy Spirit, then Christ's righteousness is the robe that covers the soul. Through union to him we are complete in him, — we stand before God as the Redeemer doth. To us to live is Christ, — he becomes to the soul what the soul is to the body, the source of activity, and vigour, and enjoyment. Or, yet further to exhibit the benefits of bap- tism, I remark, that the words of the prophet exactly describe them : — " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean. . . . A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27.) These are the benefits represented by baptism, and which accompany the ordinance when the Spirit of God blesses the dispensation, and prepares us for it. Without the inward grace, the outward act is worthless, or tends only to increase our guilt, — for " grace is figured, not inclosed in baptism;" but let the Spirit of God accompany the outward act, and then the blessings of the new covenant are sealed OF BAPTISM. 39 and applied to believers — they are ingrafted into Christ, and bear fruit unto holiness. In the previous section, we endeavoured to show, — -firsts What is meant by baptism ? Our solemn dedication to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, — our being set apart for his ser- vice and glory in a life of holiness, — our admis- sion into his Church on earth, to be prepared for the Church of the first-born on high. Secondly, We tried to enumerate and explain some of the benefits or blessings to which baptism may lead. We enter thereby into the Church of Christ, and become partakers of the benefits which flow through the Church to the soul. According to a phrase current among the Jews, we are gathered under the Almighty's wings, and placed within reach of all the benefits which he will ever bestow upon sinners. Pardon of sin, through the blood of Christ — peace with God, through the atonement — holiness of heart and life, through the Spirit, — these are some of the advantages to which bap- tism, blessed by the Spirit, introduces the people of God. By means of these, they are both fitted for heaven, and may enjoy a foretaste of it. But now an important question is raised, and must be considered, — To whom is baptism to be 40 TIIE SACRAMENT administered ? or, Who may claim it ? And we can give a general answer by saying, That bap- tism is to be administered to all that hold and profess the faith of Christ — that believe in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When the Saviour ap- pointed the ordinance, his injunction was, first to make disciples of all men, and then baptize them. As soon, therefore, as any man be- comes a disciple of Christ, he is to be baptized. Whether he has abjured heathenism in heathen lands, or turned from Judaism to the religion of Christ, or abandoned infidelity in lands called Christian, that man is to be admitted among the followers of the Saviour, by the ordinance of his appointment. Man cannot look upon the heart, — God alone can judge it; and, therefore, as soon as any one understands the gospel, professes to believe in Christ, and walks as a follower of the Redeemer should do, that man is to be bap- tized. Sin is committed, and the soul endan- gered, if he enter the Church by the initiatory rite without faith in the heart ; but as the Judge of all has not constituted man the judge of his brother, the profession of faith, and a consistent life, warrant admission into the Church. Up to this point, then, it is easy to answer the question. To whom is baptism to be administered? OF BAPTISM. 41 No right-thinking Christian will doubt the pro- priety of admitting into the number of Christ's people, those who profess their faith in Him, and walk, as far as man can judge, as that profession binds them to do — " purifying themselves as Christ is pure." But it becomes more difficult to make plain the grounds on which Infants are to be baptized. We have no command, in so many words, for baptizing little children, and hence, many con- clude that they should not be baptized at all. It is alleged, that as they cannot be made disciples, or as they cannot believe on Christ, neither should they be admitted by baptism into his visible Church ; and Christian Churches have for cen- turies been divided on the topic. Now there are some reasons why we should be specially guided by the meekness of wisdom in stirring this controversy at all. Some of the men who object to infant baptism are second to none, they are superior to nearly all, in promoting the cause and glory of the Redeemer. Their zeal in the missionary work has long been unquenchable, and the God whom they serve has honoured them therein. With brethren so devoted, therefore, we would hold no willing controversy, — we would d 2 42 THE SACRAMENT not iC fall out by the way."* Yet do we hold that the baptism of infants beautifully illustrates the gospel of Christ, as a system of free grace, or sal- vation by another's righteousness ; and we can- not, therefore, without compromising some por- tions of the truth, abstain from defending the rights of infants. Indeed we know not a single point at which the primary idea of the gospel, the origin of all our hopes — " by grace are ye saved " — comes more prominently into view, and for that reason, we are now to explain the grounds on which our portion of the Church has taught, that " baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible Church, till they pro- fess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him ; but the infants of such as are members are to be baptized." First of all, then, we confess that some of the friends of infant baptism have taken up some positions regarding it which we think not easily defended. It is written, for example, that on a certain occasion, a woman was baptized by an * " It is certainly very reasonable that Christians whose persuasions regarding infant baptism are different, should main- tain mutual candour toward each other, and avoid all sour and unkind censures on account of such difference." — Do<> supra, p. 314. OF BAPTISM. 43 apostle, " with her household." On another occasion, it is recorded that a man " with all his were baptized straightway " after his conversion. Those who plead for infant baptism, infer from this, that as the household must have contained children, these were baptized with the others, and tills is reckoned a foundation on which to rest their title to the ordinance. Others, however, deny this inference, because no mention is made of children ; so that, at the very most, the argu- ment amounts, they allege, only to a probability. Whole houses are sometimes said to believe, and as infants could not do so, some suppose that this is sufficient to show that neither were infants meant to be admitted to the baptismal rite. Others, again, infer the propriety of infant bap- tism from the words of the Redeemer, — " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." But this text plainly establishes nothing, in the way of proof, either for infant baptism or against it. That Jesus loved little children is certain. That they are capable of being spiritually blessed is no less so, for Christ blessed them when they were brought. That a childlike disposition is essential to a Christian state, is also certain, for the Saviour said, " Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom 44 THE SACRAMENT of heaven as a little child, he shall not enter there." But with all this, the text referred to in reality proves nothing about infant baptism ; it has no necessary reference to that ordinance. No doubt these, and the other texts which have been quoted, form a strong presumption in favour of infant baptism ; and when it is remembered that we have no express injunction to admit women to the Lord's table, or no command in the New Testa- ment, in so many words^ for observing the Lord's day, or in the whole Scriptures, for the ordinance of family worship, the presumptive argument acquires a force which some are slow to concede. But, on the other hand, as that argument is cir- cumstantial rather than direct, as it does not ne- cessarily shut up the mind to the belief of the alleged truth, it is well to regard the texts in question rather as auxiliary, than as supplying a solid foundation for the doctrine referred to. By themselves, they are insufficient, — in connec- tion with others, they may tend to make the truth invincible. Acting, then, on this principle, we hold it bet- ter to pass from these texts, and rest the baptism of our little ones on a firmer, though less ex- tended foundation. And what is that founda- tion ? Upon what are Christian fathers and OF BAPTISM. 45 Christian mothers to rest the right of their little ones to admission into Christ's visible Church ? We reply, you are to rest it on the nature of the ordinance itself, taken in connection with the gospel as a system of free grace. There is no express command in so many words for bap- tizing children ; but the very nature of baptism, in the blessings which it figures and holds out, is such, that children may be made partakers of all its benefits, as well as the hoary-headed. It is so framed by its author, as to be the medium of con- veying grace into the soul, whatever be the age of the baptized. In explanation of this, I need scarcely remark again, that in the ordinance, unless God worketh, man worketh in vain ; without the blessing of the Spirit, all that we can do is but a ceremony and a form. But let the Spirit of God bless the ordinance, let the unction of the Holy One accompany the outward act, let the blood of sprinkling be applied by Him, while man applies the symbol — water ; then, as an all- wise Agent influences the soul, the infant of a day's exist- ence, and the man that has touched the verge of his fourscore years, may be equally fit recipients of new covenant blessings. — Regeneration of heart, cleansing from the pollution of sin, and freedom from its guilt in Christ, may all be imparted to 46 THE SACRAMENT our little ones, as well as to ourselves. " We are born again, not of the will of man but of God;" and surely an infant is capable of being born again from the moment of its first birth, — nay, the Word of God assures us that some in- fants have been so, for John the Baptist was " filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb." The power that creates can surely make us new creatures, — the hand that formed the body, or the power that breathed into it a soul, can surely quicken that soul as it quickened the body ; and to question this appears to us to be limiting the Holy One of Israel. Moreover, it is manifest that our infant children can be no parties to our prayers on their behalf. They cannot act faith. They cannot confess sin. They cannot implore forgiveness, — they are equally passive as regards both God and man. Are we, therefore, to re- strain prayer on their behalf? Because they cannot unite with us in heart and understanding, are our supplications to be hindered, — are they to be left without a blessing implored from our common Father ? Affection and religion alike revolt at the thought, and we apprehend that children are as fit recipients of the benefits in- volved in baptism, as of the blessings vouchsafed in answer to believing prayer. OF BAPTISM. 47 It is true that infants are not capable of being affected by the truths of the "Word, — it is not therefore the medium of their renovation, — but, in accordance with z7, may the souls of our little ones be blessed by the new-creating Spirit. The germ of immortal blessedness, the purity that fits for heaven, the principle that expands the powers of man into full blown perfection may be deposited in the soul. The letter and the spirit of Scripture (Luke xviii. 15) unite in support of that opinion ; so that natural affection and the truth of God are here, in effect, at one ; they both sanction the notion, that little children may be partakers of the benefits of Christ's redemption. They are exposed to many dangers by their parents' sinfulness, or neglect of duty, — their souls may be placed in utmost jeopardy by their parents' ungodliness, — and surely it is not beyond the verge of sober- ness to infer, that they may be admitted to many blessings in consequence of their parents' faith. (1 Cor. vii. 14.) The child is represented by the parent, and is in one sense holy, if the parent be a believer. * But an illustration, or an analogy commonly * " It is the parent's profession of faith in Christ, and obe- dience to him, that entitles the child to baptism, according to the tenor of the new covenant." — Matthew Henry. 48 THE SACRAMENT employed for that purpose, will make this matter more simple than a mere description. The sac- rament of baptism, then, among Christians, has been likened to the rite of circumcision among the Jews. At the age of eight days, their children were formally dedicated to God, in terms of the covenant made with Abraham; and Peter as- sured the Jews that the promises of the covenant were made " to them and to their children, and to all that were afar off, even as many as the Lord our God might call," so that the blessings are promised to all — parents and children alike. In- fancy did not unfit the young Jew from occupy- ing a place in the visible Church, or coming within the pale of the covenant. He had a soul to be saved. He had original sin to be washed away. He needed an interest in the Holy One of Israel. This, therefore, was all the qualification that he required, and the God of mercy placed him within the sweep of that covenant, which guaranteed to all His people the spiritual bless- ings which flow freely to old and young through Christ the friend of sinners, — the purifying of the heart, the pardon of sin — in one word, the mercy of a covenant God. In virtue of that ordinance, then, the infant Jew became a partaker, as far as an outward act, OF BAPTISM. I I) cr the faith of his parents, could make him, of the blessings promised to Abraham, the father of the faithful. The Messiah was the great subject, as he was the substance of that promise, and incon- trovertibly the children of the Jews were admitted to share the benefits implied in the assurance, " In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." When, therefore, the apostle addressed to Jews the words " the promise is to you and to your children," he knew that the men to whom he spoke would at once understand him as ex- tending to them and theirs, in their Christian con- dition, the same privileges as they enjoyed under Judaism; and yet he gave no warning, he re- corded no limitation, and no restriction.* If any change had been made, this was the precise point at which to announce it. If the children of the Christians were to be debarred from what the children of the Jews enjoyed, it was right that that should be made known, that the truth might be understood. A spiritual privilege once conferred by God, is not to be annulled by any but its Author, and we must have his command, ere we can strip the offspring of Christians of a privilege enjoyed by the Jews. Yet is there no repeal, no * Bostwick's ' Vindication of the Right of Infants,' &c. E 50 THE SACRAMENT abrogation, no hint to indicate that the blessings were, in spirit, either altered or curtailed. Let us judge here, then, as dispassionately as we can ; let us put away, if possible, the thought that we ourselves were baptized when we were little children. Let us lay aside the character of controversialists, and think or act only as Chris- tians, — in that character, say, Isit conceivable that the God who, in mercy, placed the Hebrew child within the pale of the covenant, would exclude the Christian child ? Does the stream of mercy contract instead of widening and deepening as it flows? If this be the case, then the Christian dispensation falls short of the Jewish, at least in this respect. If every child in Jewry was for- mally dedicated to God when only eight days old, while children in Christendom may not par- take of that privilege, the Saviour has limited, not enlarged, our blessings, — the Christian Church has one privilege less than the Jewish. Believ- ing parents now are deprived of a rite by which they might solemnly place their little ones, who hold existence here by so precarious a tenure, under the guardianship of Him who is " the life," while yet he visited our world, that in Him all the families of the earth might be blessed. But ought w r e not rather to conclude that he OF BAPTISM. 51 who brought in a better hope, — he -who estab- lished the covenant with better promises, — he in whom all the promises of God are " yea and amen," — secured to believers, and in them to their children, the benefits which flow through his Church ? It is true, that the little one whose existence has just begun, is unconscious of the hope full of immortality that may await him in Christ ; he can act no faith, and manifest no re- pentance ; but it is equally true, that the infant of the Jew was as unconscious of the blessings promised to him, and as devoid of faith, — so that we conclude again, if our children may not be dedicated to God according to the Christian rite, they are less favoured than were the offspring of the Jews. In that case, the Saviour would have, in fact, repealed, not augmented, our bless- ings ; and whatever leads to that conclusion, appears to be utterly opposed at once to the bene- volence of the Redeemer, and the spirit of his religion. Baptism, in short, is the appointed sign of mercy; and to interpose between chil- dren and it, is to withhold from them one of Christ's institutions symbolical of all his benefits. Or further still, those who oppose the baptism of infants in general, confess that infants may be saved. They grant that little children, dying ere 52 THE SACRAMENT they become responsible agents, or capable of either moral good or evil as regards their own conduct, may be admitted to the blessings of Christ's purchase, according to his covenant with the Father. Now, is it not strange to confess that children may have the thing signified, and yet may not have the sign ? They may have all that the deed conveys to them, but may not have the seal affixed to the deed ! — their names may be written among those " of whom is the king- dom of heaven," — they may not be enrolled among the members of the church on earth! — the reality of glory may be theirs, but the sign of grace may not ! But here, again, ought we not rather to conclude, that the God whose mercy is deep as floods, has admitted our little ones, as well as ourselves, into the pale of the covenant that is well ordered in all things and sure ? Since they may have the thing signified, why should they be debarred from the sign ? Since they may be members of the Church of the first-born on high, why exclude them in any sense from the Church planted upon earth ? Since parents are permitted the hope that their little ones, interested in Christ, have an abode in the home which he has gone to prepare, how strange to withhold them from the medium of conducting them thither ! OF BAPTISM. 53 Or even further still. It is confessed that chil- dren inherit from their parents a sinful and pol- luted nature. They are exposed to suffering, and misery, and death, through their parents; and may they not, through their parents also, have a title to admission into the visible Church, and the blessings involved therein, designed as they are to counteract evil, and medicate the soul ? If children be included in the covenant with their parents, — if the promise be unto fathers and children alike, — who can forbid water that they should not be baptized, seeing that they are capable of enjoying the benefits purchased by the bloodj and applied by the Spirit of God ? He said unto the Jews of old, " Stand all of you up this day before the Lord your God, your little ones and your wives, that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God" (Deut. xxix. 10-12); and the same may surely be said of every professing follower of Christ. We are urged, therefore, to the conclu- sion, that our little ones, as well as ourselves, may partake of the benefits of the well-ordered cove- nant. They, as well as we, may be heirs of glory; they, as well as we, are immortal, and yet sinful ; they, as well as we, may be interested in the love of Christ, and made partakers of his bless- e 2 54 THE SACRAMENT ings. In as much as the plan of our redemption is one of free and sovereign grace, — as salvation is not the result ofivorks going before, to merit or prepare for God's favour, but solely of mercy on God's part, — as we are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, — and as the Spirit's power is inex- plicable as the motions of the wind, — we are forced to conclude that children may be the ob- jects of his transforming power, and saving effi- cacy, as well as the man that has reached maturity and manhood. Had the notion of merit entered at all into the terms of man's salvation, then we think infant baptism would have been indefen- sible. But as all is of grace, that is the founda- tion on which the hopes which we cherish, and the rite which we perform over children are based. Resting there, we are rooted and ground- ed in the truth of God.* We have been reconciled to what some perhaps deem a useless task, — contending against brethren in Christ, by the thought, that while doing so we * Dr Owen, in his ' Greater Catechism,'' thus settles the controversy. " To whom does Baptism belong ? " " Unto all to whom the promise of the covenant is made, that is to believers, and to their seed. Acts ii. 39; Gen. xvii. 11, 12; Acts xvi. 15; Rom. iv. 10, 11 ; 1 Cor. vii. 11.*' OF BAPTISM. 55 are in fact unfolding the true nature of baptism. To understand it aright, we have to remember that it is a seal of the covenant of grace^ that it is a spiritual ordinance, and represents spiritual things. Unless the Holy Spirit bless us, nothing that is truly profitable can result from the ordi- nance. But if the Spirit do bless it, both old and young are equally fit to receive his sanctifying influence. Many, we grant, many are not bene- fited by the ordinance at all ; nay, but they live as if it were their joy and rejoicing in practice to abjure their vows. To see baptized men living in a state of practical ungodliness, which tends to corrupt the very heathen, — as we read is some- times the case with our countrymen in foreign lands, — to witness this does furnish a practical objection against the baptism of infants, and when this objection is urged, we own that the conduct of many parents gives it much appearance of truth. But let not man's error overlay or mar the truth of God. Let us, on the contrary, keep the closer by that truth, that others seeing our good works may glorify our God. Let us make sure that it is not the outward act alone, but the bless- ing of God's Spirit along with it, that we aim at and pray for ; and when the ordinance of baptism is thus raised to its proper rank as a spiritual or- 56 THE SACRAMENT •ely dinance, — when men learn to speak not merely of the sacrament, but of the sacraments, advanc- ing them to that position of co-ordinate import- ance in which God has placed them, — the bless- ing of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, may oftener accompany it in rich abundance. The blood of Christ may cleanse the young from ori- ginal sin, as it cleanses the conscience of God's people from day to clay from the pollution of ac- tual transgression. Our children may be separated from the world, and set apart for God, as the chil- dren of Judah were. Being his, and not ours, nor their own, they may be reared for him. He may " give us our wages " in the blessedness of godly families, — our children's souls and ours may eternally rejoice together in salvation through Him who washed us from our sins in his own blood. These remarks admit of many applications that are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- tion, and instruction in righteousness. Since it is only through us that our little ones are admissible to baptism, as it is only in conse- quence of our faith that any blessing or benefit can be expected to infants when baptized, how solemn is the obligation under which this places parents OF BAPTISM. 57 to come as believers to the ordinance in question ? If we are not believers with the heart upon the Son of God, we have seen that no blessing can be obtained, — on the contrary, we do all that we can to prevent God's mercy in Christ from reach- ing our offspring. It may reach them in spite of us, — for God may exercise his sovereign prero- gative, and heap coals of fire upon our heads, — but I say that we do all we can to prevent the privileges of the new covenant from being ex- tended to our children. Surely, then, if parents love their offspring, and would do them good in the highest sense of all, they should seek to come to the ordinance of baptism in the way that God appoints, that is, in the exercise of faith in Christ, the Saviour and the friend of man. How ground- less would be the expectation of benefit from the other sacrament, if the communicant were not a believer, — if he came only to perform a decent ceremony, or to acquire a name ; and surely not less vain the hope of God's blessing in the sacra- ment of baptism, unless faith in Christ, the only Mediator between God and man, be at that hour in exercise. As often, then, as a parent dedicates a child to God, he should see to it that he is guided and led by a true and living faith, for the welfare of two souls, his own and his child's, de- 58 THE SACRAMENT pends upon him. If it were proper to draw a contrast between the sacraments, or place those institutions in opposition which God has made essentially the same, we should say that baptism is the more momentous of the two. In it the spiritual welfare of two immortal beings are con- cerned ; in the other sacrament, the welfare only of one. And here it may not be improper to advert to an error which largely prevails regarding pre- paration for the ordinance of baptism, and which, we fear, mars or prevents the benefits that might otherwise accrue. There are many who would scruple, or utterly refuse to approach the Lord's table, who yet have no compunction in reference to the ordinance of baptism. They decline to comply with Christ's command regarding the one sacrament, — they cannot understand why there should be any hindrance to their observing the other. Some will proudly resent it when an ob- stacle is laid in their way. Regarding it, at heart, as only a ceremony, they do not see what pre- paration, what spiritual fitness is needed, ere they can approach Jehovah with acceptance. Now, all who understand the nature of bap- tism will perceive, that this error originates in the low and degrading views of that ordinance OF BAPTISM. 59 which have so long prevailed among many. It is not contemplated as bodying forth the same truths and blessings as the other sacrament. It is not understood, that as the one exhibits the atonement offered for the guilty, the other speaks of blood sprinkled on the impure. But, on the contrary, baptism is by hundreds viewed as only a cere- mony and a form, devoid of Scriptural meaning, and not involving any responsibility, such as may either awaken conscience or increase our guilt. It is not remembered that God is a party in the solemn transaction, — that to sin here is to sin in the very presence of the Trinity, with the name of Him who is " holy, holy, holy," sounding in our ears. And surely if this were kept in view, there would be more of self- scrutiny, more of prayer, more of looking unto Jesus, more of honouring the Spirit in baptism, than often ap- pears to be the case. It is not right to argue as if man's abuse of the ordinances of God rendered them invalid; but if there be an argument possess- ed of any strength against infant baptism, it is found in the unprepared state in which many parents seek to engage in the ordinance, — the absence of prayer, repentance, and preparation, before the holy Jehovah is approached. If parents loved their children's souls as they love 60 THE SACRAMENT their bodies, that is, if grace were as constant in its operation as nature, O how pains-taking and circumspect would they be in dedicating their children to God ! what searching of soul would there be for genuine faith, that, through the pa- rent, the child might live before his God ! There are parents who would feel that their affection was outraged by the mere suspicion that they would injure their little one's body, who, yet, without being conscious of it, are putting the soul in jeopardy ; and all this is the result of a sacra- ment deposed from the rank in which Christ placed it, and treated as a ceremony which, in many cases, never touches the conscience, or warns the parent to offer up a single prayer. Because of this, and similar things, " the land mourneth." But we turn from this to another class, to offer another suggestion. Let the believing parent hope in God regarding those that are dear to him. We may have brought them to the sacrament of baptism in a careless unbelieving frame of mind, and there is no promise made to those who do so. But let the child be dedicated in faith, and then, I say, let the believing parent hope in his cove- nant God regarding his little ones, for the pro- mise of that God is his rock. Let him go, in fancy, to the lake of Gennesareth, and see a OF BAPTISM. CA little skiff there just leaving the harbour, and about to encounter a storm. The storm arises, and as the frail bark struggles with the waves, a speck among the waters, you may think that it is in danger; and so it is, were human help its only refuge. But there is'One" in it, — omnipo- tent, but asleep ; when the peril is the greatest he awakes, he speaks, and there is a great calm. So with the little child that has just commenced the weary voyage of life. All seems jrough and tempestuous before him, — every chance is against that child's salvation in a world so unholy as this. But the Holy One, who sets chance at defiance, is guiding the young soul. All its springs are in him. If we have come as believing parents should do, to the ordinance of baptism, and if there be meaning in the promises of God, hope may be cherished, — the head may be laid even on a death-bed pillow, cheered by the consolation that the Holy One will smooth away difficulties, and guide our little ones after us to heaven as their home. " How sweet is it to godly minds, to be certified not only by word, but also by something to be seen with the eyes, that they ob- tain so much favour with the Heavenly Father, that he hath care even of their posterity." * * Calvin. F 62 THE SACRAMENT But there may be some parents now converted, who have gone, perhaps, in former times, to the baptism of their offspring with as little conscious- ness of its deep importance as if God were no party, and the soul not concerned, nor eternity affected. It sometimes happens that the intensest sorrow is occasioned, when conscience is quickened by the Spirit of God to discover the sin that was com- mitted, and the danger that was incurred by ap- proaching unworthily, and without a warrant, to the table of the Lord. The deepest contrition has been felt, death-beds have been disturbed, and hope for eternity has been clouded, at the remem- brance of such a presumptuous sin. And, in like manner, parents, long dead alike to the value of their own and their infants' souls, may have gone unprepared, unbelieving, unthinking, to the ordi- nance of baptism, exposing at once themselves and their offspring to the anger of a pure and holy and jealous God. No realizing of his presence, — no believing with the heart upon his Son, — no hon- ouring his Spirit, — no prayer for his blessing, — all was formality, all was, therefore, unblest, nay, all was sinful; and of all this, some such parents may now be convinced by the power and demonstration of the very Spirit whom they once dishonoured. They professed that God was their Father, where- OF BAPTISM. G3 as he was only their Judge; that Christ was their Saviour, whereas at heart they did not be- lieve on him ; and that the Spirit was their sanc- tifier, whereas they were grieving and quenching him. But all the danger is now discovered, and they are ready with the cry, " Behold, we are vile, what shall we render unto thee, O thou pre- server of men ! " " It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed ! " And O how deeply should such parents be abased, how instant and pressing and constant should be their flight to the foun- tain opened for sin. If they have sinned at once against their own and their offspring's soul, and if they have " lied unto God," by vowing without designing to pay, should not the dust be their bed, and sackcloth their covering ? And since God has in mercy opened their eyes, and turned them from darkness to light, should not their assiduity be double, if, peradventure, their children may be reclaimed from the paths into which their parents' errors, or prayerless lives, may have been the means of leading them ? Think of the meeting that must take place before the great white throne, between ungodly parents and the children whom they helped to ruin, and by all that is precious in the soul, or blessed in the favour of God, be in- duced to undo, as far as prayers and example 61 THE SACRAMENT can, the effects that may have followed neglect, tending to misery here, and " the worm that never dieth" hereafter. Could the heresy that " the sacraments justify and give grace" be proved, such repentance and contrition might be needless, but according to the truth of God, the parent, now convinced of his danger, will flee to the fountain opened for sin. OF BAPTISM. 65 CHAPTER III. Prevalent Opinions indicative of Erroneous Views — The Manner of performing the Rite of Baptism — Sprinkling — Immersion — The Controversy useless — Where should the Ordinance he Dispensed? In the Assemblies of God's People — Reasons — It helongs to the Church, not the Family — Practice in Early Ages — In the Reformed Churches — France — Geneva — Holland — England — Scotland — Acts of Assembly — Opinions of Individual Reformers — Calvin and Others — Injury to the Body of Christ by Private Baptism — Need of every auxiliary to strengthen Religion — The Error of supposing that none interested but the Parent or Child — Every Believer present may, in a sense, be a Party, and blessed — Baptism should spread in its influence over the whole Life — The Motives to Holiness implied in it — The Use to be made of it, in Temptation, and otherwise — In Training the Young — Instance — In Promoting Brotherly Love — Questions to Parents regarding the Sa- crament — and its Consequences. There are many opinions which pass current for solid truth among men, which yet, when examined, are found to be superficial or untrue. The pre- valent opinion regarding the cause of winter, namely, the supposed greater distance of the sun, f 2 66 THE SACRAMENT is an instance. The truth is, he is nearer then than in summer. In like manner, there are some opinions in religion sanctioned by very common consent, which, nevertheless, evince that it is not in a vigorous state in the soul ; and just as a skilful physician can detect the condition of the body by the pulse, may we detect the condition of the mind and soul by the opinions which men hold. For example, the ordinance to which we are referring, the sacrament of baptism, is supposed by many to be one in which no person is concerned except the parent and the child. There are some who view it merely as a ceremony ; and when it is dispensed, there is in their minds no feeling that any spiritual benefit can be enjoyed by them, or that any responsibility is incurred. It is not un- derstood that every member of Christ's Church is interested in every ordinance of his appointment, nor is it remembered that the Saviour aimed at the edification of the whole body by every lesson that he taught, and every commandment that he gave, and every rite that he appointed. "What He was pleased to institute, we should carefully study, and carefully use as he designed; and our profiting would more manifestly appear, did we seek spiritual nourishment from every or- dinance, and aim at growth in grace, in the en- OF BAPT] r»7 joyment of every privilege. There can be no doubt in any reflective mind, that our religion would have a healthier character, and rest on a firmer basis, and be more productive of fruit unto holiness and peace, if we thought more soundly, and understood more clearly than many do, the nature of the ordinance which admits us to engage in the practices, and, when blessed by the Spirit of God, to share the blessings of our faith. As to the manner of performing the rite of baptism, — the next point that comes before us, — little need be said, in addition to what has already been advanced. The application of water to the body is a sign of spiritual benefit ; it points to the cleansing of the soul by the blood of sprink- ling, and if that spiritual benefit be significantly represented, we need not contend regarding the manner of doing so. "Whether we immerse the whole body, as some contend that we should do, or sprinkle only a part of it with water, the puri- fying of the soul is equally the end or object that is aimed at ; and we would add, it is equally the end or object represented in the sacramental act, — it is the application of water to the body that constitutes the true symbol of the rite. It was predicted that God would sprinkle clean water upon us, in token of our spiritual cleansing, 08 THE SACRAMENT Lied an- The blood which that water betokens, is called "the blood of sprinkling ;" and by such Ian guage the believer is taught that sprinkling with water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is a significant emblem of that purity of which the Apostle speaks, when he says, that " baptism doth also now save us," and explains himself by adding, " not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." Instead, there- fore, of contending about the mode, let the effect, the essential, spiritual benefit, be sought, and all secondary considerations will find a secondary place. If a word be employed in Scripture which is confessedly ambiguous, meaning, as some allege, to immerse, — as others argue, only to sprinkle, let all sectarianism, on such a point, be entirely put away. And when we regard this matter, not in the light of controversy but of Scripture, it may appear that it supplies but another instance of the wisdom, not announced, but involved in the plan of redemption. Its rites as well as its truths are designed for all climes as well as all ages. The Saviour of sinners first propounded to mankind, in a palpable form, the divine conception of one Church for the world. He legislated for that Church, and not for any OF BAPTISM. 69 detached or fragmentary section ; and in doing so, while the principles which he unfolded are immutable as Jehovah's truth, the exterior frame- work which he set up may be regarded as plastic, or capable of adaptation to the circumstances, the climate, and the habits of his worshippers. It seems as necessary that what is secondary should admit of various adaptations, as that what is primary should be unalterably deter- mined for the guidance and the binding of all ; and keeping this in view, it may perhaps appear, that the contest occasioned by the partizans of immersion, on the one hand, and of sprinkling, on the other, is one of the logomachies which Scripture repeatedly condemns. The words of our Confession of Faith are as judicious as they are temperate, — " Dipping of the person," it says, " into the water, is not necessary, but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person." * But another question here occurs, — Where should the ordinance be dispensed ? We have spoken of its nature, design, and subjects, and would consider next, where may its design be best promoted ? * Chap, xxviii. § 3. 70 THE SACRAMENT Now, the reply is very plain. Baptism should be dispensed, in all ordinary cases, in the House of God, or, if that may not be, at least, in the assemblies of God's people — the places where prayer is wont to be made. It is true that the Saviour has given no specific command to that effect. He foresaw that his people would often be without a church in which to worship, and would be forced, by the world's hostility to God's pure truth, to serve him with no covering but the canopy of heaven, and no shelter but the Rock that is higher than we. For that reason, the Saviour has not tied us down to any locality, as if there were sacredness in any spot. He was giving, we have seen, a religion for the world, and has, accordingly, so framed all his institutions, as to render them fit to expand and become commensurate with the extent of the globe on which we dwell. In carrying this purpose into effect, he has left us free to de- termine various points which must be differently determined in different countries. For example, there are places in our world where baptizing in the church would be attended with danger to health or life ; and, for that reason, there is no positive command upon the subject. But still, when we look at the design of the ordinance, — OP BAPTISM. 71 when we remember that not merely the parent or the child is concerned, but that it may become a means of conveying spiritual instruction, or warn- ing, or comfort to many, — it appears that the House of God, in the assemblies of his people, is the proper place for administering the rite. If we would not deprive the body of Christ — his Church — of the nourishment provided for it, — if we would not reduce it to that condition in which it has only one sacrament, while Christ meant it to have two, our little ones should be dedicated to God in the place where he has chosen to set up his name. The sacrament of baptism should thus be lifted from the low posi- tion which it occupies in the minds of many, as if it implied little else than the naming of a child. It should be viewed as a means of growing in grace. It should be fenced and guarded as the other sacrament is, — and, by the blessing of God upon his own ordinance, parents would be warn- ed, believers would be edified, and the general design of Christ's Church more abundantly pro- moted in the land. We have seen that all the leading doctrines of our faith, — man's inborn cor- ruption, his need of a Redeemer and a Sanctifier, of blood, to atone for, and to cleanse, as well as of a new heart and a right spirit, — are presented to I 2 THE SACRAMENT our attention in the sacrament of baptism, in a way more emphatic and impressive than words. Unless these be constantly pressed on men's notice, religion is not likely to prosper ; and it was that they might be pressed on our notice from Sabbath to Sabbath that our wise forefathers made baptism an ordinance of the Church, and not merely of the family or the house. But as this is a point regarding which no little misconception and consequent error in practice exists, it may be profitable, for doctrine or correc- tion, to consider the subject of public baptism more in detail. And, in the first place, it is manifest from the very nature of the ordinance, that it is not meant merely for the family, but, as we have seen, for the Church. The birth of our little ones con- stitutes them members of our own household. Baptism is meant to constitute them members of the household of faith, as far as devoting them to God on our part can accomplish that end. And if the ordinance be designed for the purpose now indicated, why perform it in private, as if our children were to be surreptitiously introduced to the enjoyment of the benefits implied in bap- tism, or as if the Church itself were no party in the transaction ? OF BAPTISM. ,3 But whatever may be our opinions or practices on the subject, certain it is, that in the early ages, and wherever religion has been in vigorous ope- ration, the initial rite of the Christian Church has been in the midst and presence of the as- sembled people ; and of this abundant evidence has often been produced. While the Church of Christ was a persecuted or scarcely tolerated in- stitution, baptism might be dispensed wherever convenience permitted, or necessity required, — in dens and caves of the earth, on mountain sides, or in the homes of private Christians ; but when the Church was properly organized, and the worship of God in Christ fairly established in the world, the rite became the property of the Church, and was performed in its presence, for edification and comfort to all, as well as for blessings to the baptized. " The congregation, with great fervency, poured out their souls in common and united prayers, both for themselves, and for the person baptized, and for all others, all the world over." * And if we regard the practice of the Reformed Churches as of any authority in * Justin Martyr, quoted in Presbyterian Review for July 1341. The two Articles that appeared in that Journal, en- titled, " Practical Reforms in the Church," should have been reprinted in a separate form long ere now. G 74 THE SACRAMENT such a case, it will be found that their testimony is uniform in favour of public baptism. Those of France declare, that " no baptism shall be admi- nistered but in Church assemblies, or where there is a formed public church." * In Geneva, it was enacted, that " no baptism should be celebrated but in the ecclesiastical assemblies, immediately after the sermon." In Holland, it was resolved, that " private baptism should not be used except in cases of persecution." The Church of Eng- land at the Reformation, according to Bishop Burnet, thought it expedient " to have all bap- tisms done in the Church," and " permitted the other only in cases of necessity." t The West- minster Assembly, in its Directory for Public Worship, adopted by the General Assembly in 1645, declares, that "baptism is not to be ad- ministered in private places, or privately, but in the place of public worship, and in the face of the congregation, where the people may most con- veniently see and hear;" and in unison w T ith the spirit of this direction are both the Acts and the practice of the Church of Scotland, during its best and purest periods. In the days of Knox (155G), it was appointed, that as the sacraments * Canon VI., Of Baptism,'ui Quick's Synodicon. *r Presbyterian Review. OF BAPTISM. 15 are " not ordained of God to be used in private corners, as charms, but left to the congregation, therefore, the infant to be baptized shall be brought to church." The First Book of Dis- cipline (prepared in 1562), declares, that "bap- tism ma}' be administered wheresoever the Word is preached, but it is more expedient that it be ministered upon a Sunday, or upon the days of prayer, to make the people have a greater reverence to the administration of the sacraments than they have." The Assem- bly of 1580 censured a minister " for baptiz- ing privately;" and in 1581, another minister was suspended for this irregularity, — the As- sembly at the same time ordaining, that "the sacrament should not be administered in private houses." In 1618, the Five Articles of Perth, passed in a packed Assembly, forced the practice of private baptism, along with private communion, and various superstitions, on the Church of Scot- land, — a measure which at once overthrew its constitution, and outraged its religion. But in the memorable Assembly of Glasgow (1638), where so many corruptions were swept away, that of private baptism was abolished with the rest, and from time to time thereafter, acts similar in spirit were passed. In the year 1690, the Assem- 76 THE SACRAMENT ism bly "discharged the administration of bapti in private, that is, in any place or at any time where the congregation is not orderly called to- gether to wait on the dispensing of the Word ;" * and the reasons assigned for this stringent but salutary act, are deserving of serious thought. The parties who "receive the sacraments," it says, " are solemnly devoted to God before angels and men, — they are solemnly received as mem- bers of the Church, and do enter into commu- nion tvith her ; " and it adds, " by the private use of the sacraments, the superstitious opinion is nourished that they are necessary to salvation, not only as commanded duties, but as means without which salvation cannot be attained." Our forefathers thus sought at once to promote the edification of the people, and repress the superstition which they daily witnessed; hence their close and resolute adherence to the simpli- city of Scripture truth ; and wherever religion is so vigorous as to command the mind, and subor- dinate all to itself, these maxims, in their spirit, will be restored to their former ascendency, har- monizing as they do with the "Word of God, and the incontrovertible design of the ordinance. The opinions of individual reformers and Pro- * Acts of Assembly, 1690. OF BAPTISM. 77 testant divines are in strict accordance Avitli the acts and canons of the Churches. Calvin has de- clared, that the sacrament which introduces us within the Church, and is the sign of our adop- tion, cannot validly be dispensed except in the public assembly of believers ; and asserts, that private baptism agrees neither with the ordinance of God nor the practice of the apostles. Another author asserts, that except in times of persecution baptism should be public, because it is annexed, not to private exhortation, but to public teaching. Another, that unless there be some pressing ne- cessity, baptism should not be administered ex- cept in the assembly of the whole Church. * Another, that it is rather tolerated as a corrup- tion than countenanced as a part of the Church's constitution. In short, whether we regard the authority of different portions of the Church of Christ, or of individual members, we find their testimony uniform and concurrent. Nothing but pressing necessity, such as occurs in times of per- secution, and the disorders which accompany them, could justify, in their opinion, a practice which tends to lower a sacrament from its rank as a spiritual ordinance, to that of a decent cere- monial, or a superstitious observance. * See the authorities quoted in Presbyterian Review. G 2 78 THE SACRAMENT Nor is it difficult to find reasons for this har- mony of different Churches and different men on the subject. They all saw, that according to the "Word of God, the ordinance of baptism is design- ed, not for the family, but for the Church, — that it is a means of warning, of instruction, and edi- fication, to the assembled members, — that it re- minds them of their condition by nature, of their need of cleansing from pollution, and pardon from guilt, — that it presses the gospel on their notice and acceptance, — that it tells of the vows that are on them, so often broken, and, therefore, to be anew repented of. Moreover, they saw, that as often as baptism is dispensed in private, the Church is robbed of one of its sacraments, — and the body of Christ deprived of a portion of that spiritual nourishment, which he knew to be needful to preserve it in vigour. Not merely is superstition fostered in some, — religion is, at the same time, weakened or repressed in all, and though many are incapable of connecting these things with baptism, that is itself a proof that the ordinance, in its nature and effects, when blessed by the Spirit of God, is not understood. The parent that can forego the benefit of the prayers of a congregation on his own and his little one's behalf, has yet to learn, in this respect, the effi- OF BAPTISM. ?9 cacy of prayer. The professing Christian who does not shrink from robbing any member of Christ's body, : or any portion of his Church, of the appointed nourishment, except at the bidding of providentieil necessity, is not, in doing so, act- ing in harmony with the mind of Christ. If this ordinance, in short, be a means of " feeding Christ's sheep," or " feeding Christ's lambs," — who will incur the responsibility of depriving them of their appointed food? He may have given no positive command on the subject, and that is a proof of his forethought for his people. He foreknew that they would often be doomed, in a world which persecuted him and persecutes them (John xy/2Q)£to wander^about without a shelter or a home, — with no protection but that of a covenant God, and no place of worship but that which he had built ; and he, therefore, re- corded no enactment regarding the place of bap- tism. But, by making it an ordinance, a sacra- ment of his Churchy — by placing it at the very threshold of his house, as a token of our having entered there, he has plainly indicated his mind regarding it, — he has made provision at once for arresting the thoughts of the careless, and pro- moting the growth in grace of the godly. And if we reflect, further, on what is implied 80 THE SACRAMENT in the ordinance, the reasons for its publicity will become yet more cogent. Of all the transactions which are dictated by religion, none appears sur- rounded by so many considerations that should awe and solemnize as the rite of baptism. God is a party-— he is either mocked or honoured. Two souls are concerned, — the parent's and the child's. A young immortal is about to be dedi- cated to God in a way that will either give in- tensity to his guilt, or enhance his blessedness for ever. At the same time, he is entering on a life where spiritual dangers assail him on every side, amid which nothing but combined omniscience and omnipotence could conduct him in safety. He has been just born in sin, — he is entering on a sinful world, where the dormant seeds of ini- quity will soon be warmed and fostered into strength ; and in circumstances like these, who that understands the nature of fallen man, or feels the need of grace to rectify it, would not employ every agency to counteract the evil, and fortify the good ? Now this can be done by en- listing the prayers of the people of God on behalf of the child, — by drawing down the blessing which alone can correct man's wayward nature, or fit him for the inheritance of the saints in light ; and wherever this is not done, the least OF BAPTISM. SI that can be said is, that men are not sufficiently alive to spiritual danger on the one hand, or to spiritual blessings on the other. God has be- stowed privileges on us and our offspring, which we unconsciously forego. And here Ave would address some warning re- marks to those who think that they have no in- terest in this matter, as being only spectators when the rite is performed. You have an interest in every baptism, as surely as you have an interest in the preaching of the gospel. The Saviour so constructed this sacrament, as to make it promote the growth in grace of all believers, and the child of God may find peace, and comfort, and spiritual benefit in it, as well as the other ordinances of the Church. The blood shed to redeem and to cleanse, may here be sprinkled again on the conscience. We are solemnly told of our own engrafting into Christ. We are reminded of the vows which w T e have all broken, and for w T hich we are all responsible. This sacrament tells at once whose we are, and what we should be. It presses on our notice the words of a holy man in another portion of the Church. " Sit down," he says, " and think with yourselves what you stand obliged to, and either renounce your wicked life, 82 THE SACRAMENT or renounce your baptism. Deal ingenuously : rescind the deed, and profess to all the world that you look not on yourselves as listed under Christ's banner, nor engaged to be his servants and soldiers, or else live as becometh Christians. Will you carry Christ's ensign in your forehead, and yet fight against him in his own camp ? This is not only hostility, but treason, and as rebels and traitors are more severely dealt with than enemies, so shall you be ; and believe it, the flames of hell burn the more furiously for being sprinkled with bap- tismal water." * These solemn truths, I say, are pressed on our notice, as often as we are present when the ordinance is dispensed, and though many do not think of these things, that is their error and their sin. By faith they might make the benefits of baptism their own as often as it is dispensed in their presence. Prayer for the child, the parents, and ourselves, might enable us largely to profit by it ; and instead of that indifference which in- dicates that the ordinance is not understood, men would display such interest in it, as would teach them to feel like him who exclaimed, " It is good for us to be here." The Lord Jesus has not insti- tuted one ordinance too many, and if we have not learned to find benefit and refreshment to our * Bishop Hopkins — Works, ii. 428. OF BAPTISM. 83 souls from the ordinance of baptism, we are still unacquainted with one Christian privilege, — we deprive ourselves of one means of being blessed by God in Christ. You know that there was a period in Jehovah's existence when, as yet, this world was not ; but the sun and the stars, the ocean and the earth, sprang into being at the bidding of their God, — He spoke, and all creation stood fast. But, in the new crea- tion, far more than a word was needed. God did not merely say, " Let there be redemp- tion," and there was redemption, — " Let there be pardon," and there was pardon; but the Son of God had to travail in the greatness of his strength, and bear the burden of his people's sins, ere redemption could be accomplished or pardon vouchsafed. Now, the sufferings of Christ, in accomplishing our deliverance, are brought be- fore us in the sacrament of baptism, — and what Christian will say that he has no interest in these ? The dowery of blessings which he purchased for his people, beginning in pardon, and terminating in glory, are here presented or spread out before us, — and who will say that he has no interest in these ? Away, then, for ever, with all such no- tions of the ordinance as we are now opposing, — rather train yourselves to think of it as designed 84 THE SACRAMENT for you, as well as for the parent and child ; and thus honouring God in his ordinance, you will be honoured by him. Let your baptismal vows be renewed in spirit, let communion with a cove- nant God be sought, as often as ye witness the rite, and your souls will prosper and be in health. Nor should the benefits and moral influence of the ordinance be limited to the time of its dispensation. It is the glory of the religion of Christ that it brings to bear upon sinners a mul- titude of motives unknown to any other system. It is plain that all that God can heap on man in providence will not constrain him to holy obe- dience ; nay, the more that the Author of every good and perfect gift imparts in his providential bounty, the more signally is man oftentimes a sinner. "The prosperity of the fool destroys him." Where is man more deeply degraded as a moral being, — more forgetful, nay, more ig-- norant of God, than where the year is one per- petual autumn, constantly pouring into the lap of man the exuberance with which the teeming earth is charged ? or where is God more conspicuously dishonoured than where he has lavished his mercies on men who enjoy more than they can squander, yet employ it all against him ? It is not in nature, it is not in providence, to make OP BAPTISM. 85 man obedient to his God ; ere that be accom- plished, new motives must be brought to bear on him, and these motives — unfolded only in the gospel — must be pressed home on the conscience by the Spirit of God. " The love of Christ " is one such motive. (2 Cor. v. 14.) The fact that the Holy Ghost dwells in the believer's heart should be another. (1 Cor. iii. 16.) " The power of the world to come " should be a third ; and the fact that we are baptized, should be yet another. Like her of old who repelled the tempter by the cry, — " I am baptized," we should ever plant our baptism between us and sin. It should be employed to reinforce the principle of grace, and promote our holiness of heart, speech, and behaviour. Inasmuch as we have vowed, we are resolutely to pay our vow. We are to remember that our baptism, like the gospel, will prove a savour, either of life unto life, or of death unto death. Whether we realize its binding force, or neglect it, it remains, as a deed to which God is a party, in all its force, and all its authority. God " remembers his covenant for ever," and we should do likewise. When temptation assails, it should be repelled by the remembrance that we are God's. When faith is feeble, it should be reinforced by the reflec- 8G THE SACRAMENT ad to tion that we are not our own, but dedicated God. When indwelling sin struggles for the mastery, that should urge us anew, in spirit, to the fountain opened for sin. In one sentence, " Holiness to the Lord," purity like that of Christ (1 John iii. 3), nay, perfection like that of God (Matt. v. 48), should be cultivated and advanced by the constant remembrance of the fact, that the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, has been pronounced over us. We are buried with Christ by baptism, and should be as completely cut off from the love of sin as the dead are cut off from the doings of earth ; and did we thus, in spirit and in truth, improve our baptism, an affirmative answer might be given through all our families, to the ques- tions, — " Is it well with thee ? Is it well with thy husband ? Is it well with the child ? " And while all who can reflect should thus find a motive to constantly increasing holiness in the sacrament of baptism, parents should employ it as a high moral incentive in the training of their children. It is recorded by one godly man," that he could not but confess his gratitude to God for baptism in infancy, not merely because he was thereby introduced into the visible Church, but * Matthew Henry. OF BAPTISM. 87 because it furnished his parents with an argu- ment for an early dedication of himself to God ; and it might be the same with all godly parents. Their children should be trained to understand their baptism, and the solemn obligations under which they are laid by it. The holy and con- straining nature of the sacrament should be pressed on the young child ; and were it thus employed as furnishing a sanctifying motive, more of the rising race might be prepared to exclaim, — " Thou art my trust from my youth ; by thee I have been holden up from the womb." The Jews were commanded diligently to explain their rites to their children, — the same reasons for explanation exist in the case of Christians, and from this no parent is free till means be em- ployed to induce the young to remove the re- sponsibility from their parents to themselves, by their own proper act, in due season performed. Nor let it be forgotten, amid all the jarrings that turn the Church on earth too often into an arena of keen contention, that baptism is a bond of holy union among the people of God. By one Spirit, we are all baptized into one body ; and among the countless reasons which the religion of love suggests for unity, this is not the least. Let the ordinance continue but a SS THE SACRAMENT ceremony, let it be still used only as a charm, and then no such benefits can result. But let baptism by the Spirit of God, be prayed for, as well as the external rite observed, and then, while the Spirit of adoption takes possession of the heart, we shall learn " to love as brethren, to be pitiful and courteous." The children of a common Father, redeemed by a common Saviour, and born of the one Spirit, should surely be " knit together in love." And now to ascertain how far the spirit of these remarks has been imbibed and acted on, we would suggest some questions to parents, to guide them to a sound judgment regarding their position in re- ference to baptism and their children. You have sought the outward ordinance, — have you prayed and watched for the inward blessings ? You have sought the seal, — have you also sought and prayed for the things sealed ? You have ob- tained the sign, — has the thing signified been as anxiously longed for ? You would have felt yourselves aggrieved had you been denied the outward rite for your little ones, — have you been as resolutely bent on obtaining the renewing grace and the cleansing blood of the Saviour to be applied by the Spirit to the soul ? You have OF BAPTISM. 89 dedicated your children to God, — to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, — have you reared, and are you rearing, them for him ? He is, by profession, their heavenly Father, — do you teach them to love and honour him in that character ? He is, by profession, their Saviour, — do you train them to receive and rest upon him exclusively and alone ? He is their Sanctifier, — do you teach them, that unless they be renewed by the Spirit, and made holy as Christ was holy, they can never see God ? You have vowed to set before your children a Christian example, — have they reason to take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus ? You have vowed to maintain the worship of God in your family, — do the morning and the evening sacrifice ascend from the family altar, as in the temple of old ? You have declared with all the solemnity of an oath, before God and man, that you design to bring up your little ones in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, — is his "Word, then, your guide, your counsellor, and light ? Are the maxims of the world discarded ? are the maxims of Scripture at once your rule and your child's ? If these things be neglected, while yet there are vows upon us to be guided by them, is not the ostrich the emblem of our h 2 90 THE SACRAMENT condition, — " which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in the dust, and forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them ?" (Job xxxix. 14, 15.) If these things be attended to in the spirit of prayer, and dependence upon God, then, in the use of his appointed means, we may expect his promised blessing. No doubt our children may go astray in spite of all our painstaking and prayers ; and it has happened that the gray hairs even of godly parents have been brought in sor- row to the grave, by the waywardness of uncon- verted youth. Jehovah is sovereign, and the race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. None so exceedingly guilty as they who live in sin under the preaching of the gos- pel, and the enjoyment of spiritual privileges ; and none so hardened in sin, so " desperately wicked," as the child of many prayers, when he tramples on his father's warnings, or despises his mother's tears. But still, amid all that is myste- rious or sorely trying in this, be it ours to discharge duty, — to use means, to wait in faith, and cherish hope ; and if our bread be cast upon the waters, we shall find it after many days, — it may be given to us to see, if not here, at least from our OF BAPTISM. 91 home in glory, the fulfilment of the promise, — " There shall be a seed to serve Him while sun and moon endure." * * The admirable helps provided in the form of catechisms on baptism should encourage Christian parents to discharge, with zeal, the duties now explained. We would particularize those of the Rev. Henry Grey, of Edinburgh ; Rev. Alexander Beith, of Stirling; and Rev. Robert Forbes, of Woodside, Aberdeen. 92 THE SACRAMENT CHAPTER IV. Indifference regarding the Soul — The result of Unbelief — Im- portance of all Men, especially Parents, forming a Right Estimate of it — The Influence of Mothers in the training of the Young — Instance from Scripture, 2 Tim. i. 4, 5 — ■ Remarks addressed to Mothers founded thereon — The strength of a Mother's affection, the secret of her Influ- ence for good or for ill — Hence, a Mother's Responsibility — A Mother's Dangers — A Mother's Trials — Encourage- ments — Examples — Augustine — John Newton — Conclu- sion. Some holy men have been so much surprised at the neglect wherewith the human soul is treated, that they could account for it only by alleging that the immortality of the soul is not believed by men. Looking at the sayings of God's Word on the one hand, and the doings of man upon the other, the only explanation that could be suggested was, that a large proportion of man- kind, even while they profess the religion of Christ, do not practically believe that life and immortality have been brought to light in the gospel. OF BAPTISM. 93 To make this matter plain, language nearly like the following has been used : — A child is born into the world, but who thinks or says, Here is the commencement of an existence which shall never end — here is a nature that will suffer no decay through endless ages — here is a being which will outlive the sun, witness the death of time, and retain its consciousness, its moral connection with the Supreme Spirit, through untold and unim- aginable duration ! The birth of such a being is rarely contemplated in reference to its eternity of existence, its immensity of suffering or of joy ; it is thought of only, or chiefly, as a child of time, and to its interests for this life, which nature makes our earliest care, we are apt to de- vote our exclusive attention. The death of such a being, moreover, in the vast majority of cases, is spoken of only as the loss of human life, the departure of one of the human animals from amidst a teeming population. But the immortal spirit, — where is it ? How rarely are its worth, its capabilities, and its eternal destiny made the topics of prayerful and heartfelt reflection ? In short, the idea of immortality is often buried out of sight amid the griefs or the engrossments which earthly things occasion. But whether men think of it or not, the child 94 THE SACRAMENT that was born but an hour ago is an immortal being. The spirit which God has breathed into it, is undying as the Godhead, — at least no- thing can destroy the immortal creature but the fiat of Jehovah. In his Word, however, he most plainly tells that the immortal principle, the soul, shall never die. Unending misery, or unending joy, will be the doom of every child of the family of man. This being the case, as unchangeably settled by the God of heaven and of earth, you Avill at once perceive how important it is for every Christian to entertain right views on this subject, — not merely those transient feelings about im- mortality which satisfy so many, and which would suffice were sentiment religion, but deep, permanent, and influential convictions of this un- questionable truth, that every child of Adam will exist, and exist for ever, either in agony or joy. Right convictions on this subject would drive a nominal religion away from us, just as sunrise dissipates darkness. Now, we need not hesitate to say, that no man has right views of the soul's immortality, until God's Spirit has taught him to believe God's Word. It is the religion of Jesus Christ alone that enables man to realize eternity, as tbat reli- OF BAPTISM. 95 gion alone can prepare him for it. And till religion does that, men may not overtly deny the immortality of the soul ; but they habitually act as if they did not believe it. They put the body in the soul's place, and treat the body like an immortal. It is the constant tendency of man to reverse the order of God's appointments — to prefer man's approbation to God's — the interests of time to those of eternity — the righteousness of self to that of the Saviour; and never is this tendency more apparent than as regards the treatment of the soul. Now, while it is much to be desired that all men could hold Christian views on this subject, it is doubly important that parents should be clear concerning the destiny of souls hereafter. Every child committed to a parent's keeping will live, and move, and be for ever either in anguish or in joy ; and till this be so felt as to influence the very heart and soul, no parent can even be supposed to do his duty to his child. And when we thus look at the destiny of young immortals in the light of eternity, little reflection is needed to convince us that the character of their immortality will be decided by their cha- racter on earth, as this again is mainly formed by the character and the habits of mothers. For 96 THE SACRAMENT this reason, and following up the previous sec- tions, we would now offer some suggestions to mothers, in the hope that some may be taught, by the power of the Spirit of God, to care more intensely at once for their own immortality, and that of their offspring. And there is a passage in the Word of God which will introduce us directly to this subject. In 2 Tim. i. 4, 5, it is written, " I greatly desire to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy ; when I call to remem- brance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice ; and I am persuaded that in thee also." Though grace or godliness is certainly not hereditary, though " that which is born of the flesh is flesh," and the children of the holy are often abandoned or profligate, we yet find in this passage that the grace of God produced unfeigned faith in three successive generations. The grandmother, Lois, the mother, Eunice, and the son, Timothy, were all alike the children of a heavenly Father, — in other words, unfeigned faith in Christ united them all to him, and he is the firstborn of many brethren. Moreover, it will be noticed that it was through the mothers that this faith descended. Lois taught her daugh- OF BAPTISM. 9? ter Eunice, and Eunice taught her son Timothy, to believe upon the Son of God ; that is, in each case it was the mother whom God's sovereign Spirit employed to he the instrument of bringing the child to Jesus Christ, and salvation through his blood. " From a child," we read, " Timothy knew the Holy Scriptures." Means were early employed by his mother to embue his mind with the knowledge of God, of Christ, and of man, as the Scriptures describe them, and the result, by the blessing of God's Spirit, was "unfeigned faith" in the Redeemer. From this historical fact, then, we may infer the general truth, — that the character of children here, and their consequent portion hereafter, essentially depend on the mother; and this is the truth to which we now invite attention. It is not our design to enter on any detail of maternal duties. "What we mean is simply to draw attention to the great importance of the mother's part in the training of children. She is not formally recognised in the ordinance of baptism, except as represented by the father; but it were well, perhaps, were she, with all the solemnity of a sacramental deed, allowed to come under a direct personal responsibility, in the open view of the church, regarding the soul of her i 98 THE SACRAMENT child. Nature is not enough ; grace should be superadded, that mothers may be warned to watch for souls like those that must render an account. I. Now, nearly all who advert to this subject have largely dwelt on the depth, and strength, and warmth of a mother's affection. The most unquenchable of all earthly love is that of a mother to her child, insomuch that God has singled out this passion as the emblem of his own affection to his covenant-people in Christ, saying, " As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." (Isa. lxiv. 13.) This prin- ciple of attachment is as much a part of a mother's nature, as the heart and the blood are parts of the human frame. A child may be wayward, and the cause of much disquietude to a mother's mind; but let that child become sick or diseased, instantly all is forgotten, and sleepless nights without a grudge are spent in the sufferers chamber; or let that child grow up to manhood, — let him even become reckless and a prodigal, still a mother's affection clings to him — her half-broken heart feels whole again, even at the hope of his being reclaimed to virtue and to God. OF BAPTISM. 99 On the other hand, this love is in general re- ciprocated by the child. That affection, which many waters cannot quench in a mother's heart, is responded to by her offspring often with equal warmth. Even a long course of sin cannot extirpate that attachment ; for, in some cases, guilty youth have been known to confess, that amid all their wanderings, they never could trample on, they never could even forget, the affection or the spell-like charm of their mother. It haunted them in all their ways, and from time to time, it loudly protested and reclaimed against their sins. Now, this reciprocal affection, so wisely or- dained by God, is the great secret of a mother's influence in training. It arms her with tremen- dous power to ruin her offspring, if she be herself unconverted ; but it may render her also another Lois, or another Eunice, if her heart be influ- enced by what the verses we have quoted call "unfeigned faith." Let mothers ponder w T ell upon it. In consequence of the strong tie that binds them to their children, and their children to them, such is their influence, that, under God, they may abundantly promote their offspring's happiness, or as surely promote their misery. So great is this maternal influence, that of all the 100 THE SACRAMENT millions of immortal beings swarming at this moment on our globe, there is not so much as one who has not been largely influenced for good or for ill by her who bore him, if she also reared him. Insensibly she moulded his character — strengthening the good, and weakening the vicious, or the reverse, according to her own ; so that in the hands of mothers are placed by Providence the destinies of the coming generation, — nay, not merely of that, but the destinies of many throughout all generations, even for ever. Long after you have said to the worm, '* Thou art my mother and my sister," your example will be operating for good or for ill, because, possessing a mother's tenderness, you wield a mother's power. You may therefore do, what nothing besides, ex- cept Omnipotence, can accomplish — you can do every thing but convert your child ; and even his conversion may be largely promoted, or as largely hindered, by you. And since God has made you the stewards of so much power, see that you use it all for him. Lavish not your love and influ- ence on your offspring's bodies alone, for the mother Avho does that, has formed a plot against her children's soul ; but by a pure example, by a Christian character, by faith unfeigned, and the fruits of it in a holy life, in short, under OF BAPTISM. 101 the Bible's directions, bring your children up for God; that is, be like Lois, — be like Eunice, — be like Hannah, who " gave her child to the Lord all the days of his life ;" and if this be neglected, mothers need not weep for their children's way- wardness or wickedness. For, is it wonderful at all that God should repay us with stripes and anguish, when even a mother can be so lost to true affection, as to seduce the heart of her child from God, and fix it upon vanity ? One of the strongest moral powers possessed by a creature, is, we repeat, a mother's love ; and if that moral power be perverted to evil, need w r e marvel though misery be fomented, and disaster be the result ? II. It is most true, then, that a child, in a mother's hand, is very much what clay is in the potter's. By the plastic power of affection, she may mould the child according to her pleasure, — ere he has left her knee, his character for life may be formed. She cannot give him a new heart ; that is, she cannot convert him. But by adopting light means, and setting a right example, Christian mothers may do every thing short of conversion. At the same time, nothing will be done to i 2 102 THE SACRAMENT purpose, until responsibility to God be felt. As long as a mother thinks she may rear her chil- dren in her own way, and for her own purposes, no good need be expected. Children then are trained for ruin, — the friendship of the world is the object for which they live, and that friend- ship is enmity with God. It is only when a mother begins to feel her responsibility to Al- mighty God — when she remembers that her child is but lent to her by him, and that he expects his own again without usury — and when she under- stands the nature of that deposit intrusted to her keeping, that she begins to act like Lois, or Eunice, to train her children to unfeigned faith. Many a mother never once asked the question, " Is it well with my child's soul ?" " Am I training him for a happy immortality, or for one of anguish?" The accomplishments of earth may be heaped on such a child; but what if such mothers be all the while leading their offspring on the road to ruin ? How desirable, then, that all were alive to a sense of a mother's responsibility ! You and your little ones have to meet before your com- mon God, and are you training them here as you shall wish you had done when you meet them before the throne ? When you press your chil- OF BAPTISM. 103 dren to your hearts so tenderly, are you sure you have brought them to Him who loved little chil- dren yet more intensely than you do, and sur- rendered them to him in soul, body, and spirit ? Before the Judge of the quick and the dead, you have yet to account for every thought, and word, and deed, regarding your children. Realize this accountability. Pray God's Spirit to bless it to you, that you may escape from the misery of meeting your children ruined at the bar of God, — ruined by a mother's example, or a mother's neglect. We mourn when we read of savage mothers, who are taught by fiendish superstition to dip their hands in the blood of their offspring, and reckon it a service well-pleasing to their gods. But which will be thought most cruel, at the grand assize, — the savage mother, sunk in pagan darkness, ruining the body; or mothers in Christian lands, with the Word of God to warn and instruct them, systematically endangering their children's souls ? It is true, — no worldly-minded mother ever thinks of such responsibility. She is the uncon- scious betrayer of that immortal creature, that is bone of her bone. She is leading her unsuspect- ing, because loving victim, along the path to ruin. The body and the soul, — both are exposed to 1 04 THE SACRAMENT danger by an unpraying, unconverted mother. Such a mother's very kiss and smile may lodge that venom deeper in the young soul, which, when it has festered there a while, may end in death eternal. On this point, the truth should not be disguised, — for the sake of a rising race, the fact should be proclaimed, — that the uncon- verted mother can only mislead the soul, and endanger the immortality of her child. III. But connected with a mother's ^responsi- bility, we may mention a mothers dangers. The sources of such dangers are very numer- ous. We need refer only to a few ; and, among the first, we would mention the tendency to act on mere feeling or affection apart from Chris- tian principle. It is so easy to indulge a mere emotion, so difficult to take and to keep hold of a right principle, and so irksome to be constantly applying it so as to correct the objects of our love, that every hour of every day witnesses the injury wrought on the young from this source. Without consulting conscience, principle, or the Word of God, many regulate their conduct by the mere impulse of affection ; — and may we not fear that the very tender mercies of such mothers are cruel ? To uphold principle, the Son of God must OF BAPTISM. 105 suffer. Rather than let it be outraged with im- punity, the whole race of man must die. " God is love," and yet that very Being will by no means clear the guilty, — He scourges every child whom he receives. Correction is, therefore, only a mo- dification of love, — and " he that spareth his rod hateth his son." (Prov. xiii. 24.) No doubt, parents should correct through tears, — it should pain them yet more than the child; but so explicit is the Word of God on this subject, that only fond partiality can make us either blind or in- different to its meaning. Wherever affection in- terferes with principle, a primary law is out- raged, and misery must be the result. Nor should we omit to mention the dangers to which mothers are exposed from erroneous views of human nature. It is difficult to persuade them that the little ones, whom they cherish so fondly, were born in sin. (Ps. li. 5.) Plainly as it is revealed, and often as it is urgently as- serted in the Word of God, one of the last truths which parents will receive is, that children are by nature dead in trespass and in sin. The innocent and untainted in man's esteem are reckoned innocent and untainted in God's ; and not till the Spirit of Jehovah, whose work it is to convince of sin, has shown to mothers what man- 106' THE SACRAMENT ner of spirit they are of by nature, will they credit or realize the announcements of God re- garding their offspring. But as in the acorn there is contained the germ or embryo of an oak, how- ever majestic ; so in the infant that has just be- gun to be, there lie folded up all the elements of evil, awaiting the time or the circumstances which shall give them development. And, though na- tural affection, so often on the side of unbelief, reclaims against it, the Word of God has declared that " that which is born of the flesh is flesh," or polluted ; only " that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," or holy ; and the history of the world, without one solitary exception but those which converting grace has occasioned, furnishes a melancholy corroboration or comment on the truth. Now, it often happens that mothers do not study their infant's nature in the light of Scrip- ture ; and hence the danger to both. The spiri- tual disease, if acknowledged at all, is regarded as slight and superficial. It is therefore slightly and superficially treated. No attempt to extir- pate the malady, — no strong crying and tears for regenerating grace, — no sustained efforts to coun- teract the evil. The wound is healed too slightly, and the disease is allowed to gather strength, and OF BAPTISM. 107 grow malignant, because affection kept the mother blind to her offspring's true spiritual condition. But let the nature even of loveliest childhood be studied in the light of God's Word, — let it be remembered that it is not wise, and cannot be safe, to continue ignorant where God has been pleased to instruct us ; and then, taught by God to understand the true condition of the human heart, even when it gives its very first beat, we shall be led to honour the new-creating Spirit, — that the germ of immortal life may be planted in the soul when natural life first animates the body. It would be interesting to know how many pa- rents are watching unto prayer for their children's conversion, — in other words, how many practi- cally believe that conversion is requisite. But another and a fertile source of danger lies in the pains which mothers take to train the body, and render it accomplished, irrespective of the immortal principle, the soul. We are careful, and even sleepless in cultivating a child's mind, or watching a child's body, and every means is adopt- ed that can fit the young for usefulness or honour in society. The ornamental is added to the use- ful, and perhaps neither pains, nor warnings, nor punishments spread over years, are spared, that the end in view may be accomplished. But con- ] 08 THE SACRAMENT trast with this the feeble exertions which some nominally Christian mothers make in training their children to " faith unfeigned." Something may be done on the Lord's Day, though often even that is neglected. The men who have been the scourges of their age, have been possessed of capa- cious intellect, but seared in conscience ; and yet, untaught by this historical fact, conscience is not trained, — its sensibilities are not awakened, as they should be, by habitual reference to God as the Witness now, and the Judge hereafter, — the pe- culiar motives of the Bible are not pressed upon the soul, — the love of Christ, especially to the young, is not made habitually prominent, — the understanding, not the heart, or talent, not good- ness, is the object of solicitude ; in short, the energies of the young, and the ingenuity of the aged, are wasted in training the body, so that the immortal is superseded by the mortal, — eter- nity is supplanted by time. There are many parents, wise unto salvation by the teaching of God's Spirit, who give their days and their nights to the work of watching for their little ones' souls. But, on the other hand, O how many a mother has reason to mourn yet more bitterly than Rachel in Ramah, and refuse to be comforted, because of her children's spiritual con- OP BAPTISM. 109 dition, — their unconverted, and yet uncared-for souls ! Now, these, and such as these, are the dangers to 'which mothers are exposed. No doubt, a truly Christian mother, a Lois, or Eunice, would watch and pray against such things; but all mothers have not faith unfeigned, and hence the danger, lest a child's ruin be traced up to a mother's ne- glect. The day is coming, we repeat, when you must meet your children before your God and theirs ; and I would ask, in the name of all that is lovely in a mother's affection, or momentous in a child's eternity, Is any one prepared to sacrifice the soul of her offspring on the altar of worldliness or frivolity ? " It is not our heavenly Father's good pleasure that one of these little ones should perish," — can it be yours? Every mother's heart is ready with the exclamation, " God forbid ;" and by the feeling which dictates that cry, be warned to watch and pray for your children's soul, that the Spirit of grace may guide you safely through a mother's dangers. Be not like the worldly-minded, the staple of whose anxieties are not for holy, heavenly things, but for earthly advancement and affluence, as if earth were heaven. Maternal affection may, indeed, suggest some instinctive cravings for a child's 110 THE SACRAMENT welfare, even in reference to eternity, on the part of parents who know not the path that leads to blessedness there. That affection has, in some cases, dictated snch desires even in the profligate and the abandoned — insomuch that one of the most reckless though gifted of our countrymen, whose writings abound with ridicule of the Word of God, yet recorded the desire, that his offspring might be trained in Christian truth. The bold sinner had a feeling or presentiment that that was the path of safety ; but still no efforts were made — no example set — no prayers offered, that the soul of the child might live, and not die; and it is ever thus with unconverted parents. It is not the mere craving of maternal instinct, it is the vigorous and healthy influence of Christian principle, planted and preserved in the soul by the Spirit of God, that alone makes mothers wise regarding the souls of their offspring. IV. But on this topic we leave many things unsaid, and now advert to a mother's trials. We have already spoken of the strength of a mother's affection, and by that we may gage a mother's afflictions. For, how often is that affec- tion torn and lacerated when the child is snatched from her embrace and carried in haste to the , OF BAPTISM. Ill tomb, the most signal and instructive of all the trophies of Satan and of death. To see a hoary- headed man stretched upon a bier and carried to his grave, is no great marvel — to see a child of days rifled of life, and lifted from the cradle to a coffin, tears the heart as a ploughshare tears the soil. But we would speak rather of the moral trials of mothers, for the young may be taken away from the evil to come, and that is a blessing. We would speak rather of the moral trials of a mother, and how sore may we often see them. In early youth, the child of the most godly frequently shows no love of godliness, but just the reverse. And as soon as that child can do so, he breaks free from a mother's restraint, casts religion away, and seems to hasten on- wards with joy to the twofold crime of breaking her heart, and ruining his own soul. Unchecked by the warnings of God (Eccles. xi. 9), and un- taught by the experience of all the past, he rushes on iniquity, as the horse rushes to the battle. It is not the agony of the body, — that might be painful, but it would not be crushing, — it is the ruin of the soul, the dreaded eternal death of the still immortal spirit, that occasions the acutest pang, and forms the crisis and the acme of a Christian mother's trials. It is then that the 112 THE SACRAMENT heart, while the lip is perhaps mute with anguish, can sympathize with the cry of the man accord- ing to God's own heart, " my son Absalom ! my son, my son Absalom ! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son !" And what is it that can sustain under a cala- mity so sore ? The grace of God is all-sufficient. He who hath wounded can heal. He who hath broken can bind up. But one thing should be specially mentioned as calculated to support under trials like this, — the consciousness that the way- ward one had been dedicated, in spirit and in truth, with the heart and the soul, to God in baptism — that means had been used, and prayers offered, and warnings given to hedge up the sin- ner's path. In that case, the misery may still be intense, but it is not overwhelming, — the believer may say with meek resignation, — " I was silent, Lord, for thou didst it;"* and the pang is allevi- ated by submission. * " Think of dear Lady ; her eldest son executed as a murderer : a hardened wretch till the last hour : the only hope this, that, in his rage in casting himself off, the rope broke, and he lived till another was fetched, perhaps ten minutes, and seemed during that space softened, and earnestly crying for mercy; — yet I never heard from Jar lips one mur- mur rug word." — Rev. Thomas Scott. [At the earnest request of the criminal, the providential respite was extended for an hour.] OF BAPTISM. 1 1 3 After this, I need not refer to any minor sources of trial, — for example, the difficulty of training a family where every child may have a different disposition, and require a different treat- ment, — or the necessity of crossing and punish- ing those whom a mother so fondly loves. These are trials, but they deserve not the name com- pared with that which has been stated. It is true, the mother who has never felt the value of her own soul, cares not, in the nature of things, she cannot care aright about her child's. But we speak of Christian mothers, of mothers taught by God's Holy Spirit, and convinced of the value of every soul, by the price at which sinners are redeemed ; and to such we would say, the heaviest load, the sorest trial of all, is to see the bone of her bone, the child of her heart and her prayers, hastening onwards in the way which God de- clares goeth down to the chambers of death. But, lastly, we would advert to a mother's encouragements. It may be true, that a mother s sorrows are often multiplied ; but it is also true, that in as far as any mother is a Christian in spirit and in truth, her encouragements may abound. For example, how great is the privilege of 114 THE SACRAMENT training up the heirs of glory for immortality. To be thus employed constitutes a Christian mo- ther a fellow-worker with God. And when prayer for the Heavenly Father's blessing is re- sorted to, this suggests another encouragement, for if right means be employed in a proper spirit, we may hope that God will bless them. It is the opi- nion of some, that no child that had been properly trained ever went finally astray. They suppose, that the promise implied in the words, " Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it," is always fulfilled; so that wherever the precept was obeyed, the promise was kept, — no child that had been properly reared ever went astray so as eternally to perish. Affection would prompt us to lean to this opinion, though we would not speak with authority on the subject. And how encourag- ing is this view, and how strong the obligation that it lays on every Christian mother to spend and be spent in the work of rightly training ! She wields a power, we repeat, which no creature but her possesses, and if that power be employed ac- cording to God's mind, it may be blessed accord- ing to his promises. It is the recorded experience of David, toward the close of his life, that he had not seen the offspring of the righteous deserted OF BAPTISM. 115 by God : " I have been young, and now am old ; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Ps. xxxvii. 25.) But we are not left to the light of mere specu- lation on a point so vital. In history, we have instance upon instance of the blessed effects of such training, long after something akin to des- pair had settled down on the parent's heart. The case of Augustine in ancient times, and of John Newton in our own, will at once occur. Each of these, in spite of prayers, entreaties, and tears, had sunk into grossest sin, and with the strange, but most instructive, c Confessions' of the one, and the ' Life' of the other, before us, written by their own hands, it would be difficult to name the crime of which they had not been guilty. But their mothers had been animated by the spirit of prayer. Though often tempted to despair, they continued to pray and to hope, and, at length, the set time arrived. The grace of God reclaimed the wayward sinners from all their iniquities, and they became as much sig- nalized by their godliness as they had been before by their crimes; and we are not merely war- ranted, but bound to connect that result with the prayers and the pains of their mothers. Here, therefore, is encouragement for all. 11G THE SACRAMENT There may be much that seems frowning, and threatens to be disastrous, in the conduct of the wayward ; but the prayer of faith is never un- answered, though it may seem unheeded, and the cry of the prodigal's father may anon be re- echoed when the wanderer is reclaimed, — my son " was dead and is alive again, was lost and is found." * Farther, for encouragement, consider how blessed is the portion of that mother who, by God's blessing on her prayers and efforts, is privileged to see a work of conversion going on in the young soul, to notice the proofs of the Holy Spirit's power operating there, and witness with something more than earthly rapture, her child's heart warmed by that love to Jesus Christ, which is the invariable characteristic of juvenile religion. Amid all the trials of her lot, and all the dangers that surround her, she may be cheer- ed, while she remembers that there is a holy sovereign Spirit given in answer to believing prayer, to change and renew the heart. By that hope she may be upheld, even while nothing * To the cases now mentioned might be added those of hundreds remarkable for their godliness, and ascribing its origin, under God, to their mothers, — Luther, Henry Martyn, Leigh Richmond, and a cloud besides. OF BAPTISM. 117 appears in the conduct of her children to warrant the belief that they are converted; but when hope becomes fruition — when promise gives place to performance, her heart may leap for joy. Man cannot convert even his own child, but God's Holy Spirit is sent to create anew, and when mothers pray in faith for that all-decisive change, they are sometimes privileged to know from ex- perience, that that Spirit hears, and in his own time answers. For, neither are we left here to mere specula- tion. There are cases not a few in which the result we mention has been realized so as to gladden the hearts of parents to the full. Sin has deflowered the soul of its beauty, and even in earliest youth has iniquity sometimes appeared in all the vigour of precocious manhood. But, on the other hand, there have been cases of as precocious godliness, in which God did all but literally perfect praise out of the mouth of babes. As if to show what man would have been had sin never defiled him, or how blessed our world, had guilt never found a lodgment here, a few rare examples have been granted to our race, in which religion sprang up into maturity, even in the minds of children, — the aged and confirmed be- liever has been constrained to come and wonder, 118 THE SACRAMENT and sit down a humble disciple, to learn spiritual wisdom from the lips of such youthful converts. Now, this also may encourage mothers amid their trials and their efforts. The Sovereign Spirit may permit them to see their offspring early ripe for glory, and early transplanted to the dwelling of their God. Or, to look at facts rather than at principles, we remark, that it is on record, that out of one hundred and twenty young men wdio formed a certain Christian society, above a hundred traced their first religious impressions up to a mother's prayers and influence. It might be, that some of those mothers did not live to know the blessed results of their own prayers and pains, — but yet " their works did follow them." The seed which they had been the instruments of planting, grew up, and bore fruit unto holiness, and the end was everlasting life — they have now met their natural and spiritual descendants, in the same person, in the presence of their God on high. Here again? therefore, is encouragement for as many as be- lieve; and, cheered by it, cast your bread upon the waters, and you shall find it after many days. In heaven, if not here, you may meet your spiritual offspring, and rejoice over them with a joy that is unspeakable. In the evening, sow the seed; OF BAPTISM. ] 1 9 in the morning, withhold net thy hand ; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, this or that, or whether both shall be alike productive. A Chris- tian mother's highest, purest joy, consists in see- ing her child savingly brought to God ; and would Christian mothers seek to be wise to win souls to Christ, there is much to encourage the brightest hope, both in God's providence and his Word. We speak, then, as unto Christian mothers, — to mothers who know what the value of a soul is, — what joy and misery eternal are, as God in his Word describes them ; and to them we finally say, — speaking humanly, all depends on you. You hold in your hands both your own happiness and your children's, and in caring reli- giously for them, you, in fact, are caring for your- selves. Seek, therefore, by the blessing of God's Spirit, to be what you wish your child to be* Like Lois with her daughter Eunice, — like Eunice with her son Timothy, let faith unfeigned be the guide of your exertions ; and often think, that without that faith you are rushing on rocks your- selves, and, what is worse, you may be dragging your children along with you. But seek rather to make some compensation to our race for the ruin first wrought by a woman, who u gave to her husband, and he did eat " the fruit, which 120 THE SACRAMENT soon sprang up a heavy harvest of woe and tribu- lation. Be it your aim and prayer to reclaim your children from their birth in sin to a new birth in holiness. Let Christian love, — not mere natural affection, beautiful as it is, but Chris- tian love, — be the dictatress of your actions as mothers, — and then, through grace, a mother's influence may be used for God, — a mother's re- sponsibility may be discharged, — a mother's dan- gers avoided, — a mother's trials lessened, — and a mother's encouragement felt. You may, through faith unfeigned, say at last, " Behold me, and the children whom thou hast given me." Such are the suggestions we have to offer in connection with the sacrament of baptism. As a means appointed by God, let the ordi- nance be employed in the spirit which he ap- proves, and then there is hope, — hope that Christ will gather the lambs into his bosom, and guard them there from the lion that seeks to destroy. Children are by nature under condemnation, because they are born in sin ; but if we bring them, in faith, to Him who became a curse for his people, they and we then stand on covenant ground, and can use a covenant plea that the blessing may be bestowed. Children are, by OF BAPTISM. 121 nature, destitute of love to God ; but if they are given, in a solemn sacramental deed, to Him who sendeth the Spirit to renew, that Spirit may, in God's time, be sent ; and the parent who acted thus in the sacrament, if called to such a trial, may close his dying infant's eye, strongly hoping, that he will meet him, thus dedicated to Christ, at God's right hand. Where parents are Chris- tian parents, and have given their child in spirit and in truth to God in Christ, they may hope- fully say, smiling through their tears, at his de- parture, " Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." And now, to put our conduct in regard to the sacrament which has occupied our attention to a final test, imagine that you see the funeral of some little child, — fancy it one of your own. The coffin is lowered into the narrow house. The parent's tear has fallen on it. The sigh of s} r mpathy has been heaved by the bystander. The heart has glanced at the mother as she sits in her chamber childless and weeping. " Dust to dust, ashes to ashes," is the dirge, and the mourners return to their homes. Now, this child belonged either to a Christian father, or to an unconverted man. The Christian, led by God's Spirit, sought to give his child in Spirit to ] 22 THE SACRAMENT Christ. "When the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost was pronounced over him, it was not a mere ceremony, but a sacrament. He has, therefore, humble hope. He can rest on pro- mises. He can trust the God of grace and truth. With the Bible before him, he can dry his tears, and be comforted. But what hope can the uncon- verted man cherish ? Not one heartfelt prayer ever was offered by him. The baptism of his child was but a superstitious ceremony, and what spiritual benefit can accrue ? This man presumes that his child is happy, and it may be so. Of that we know nothing; it is one of the secret things that belong to the Lord our God. But we may ask, what right has such a parent to expect such a result to follow his neglect f The child may be safe in the bosom of its Heavenly Father, but it is so in spite of its earthly pa- rent, and when he and his little one meet in the presence of God, if his child appear among the ransomed of the Lord, he will implore no blessing on the head of his father. " I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth ; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore have I sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not OF BAPTISM. 123 be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever." (1 Sam. iii. 13, 14.) These are the words in which God would warn and startle parents that are remiss. " Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages," may be re- garded as words of encouragement to parents that would train their offspring for God ; and when these words are in spirit obeyed, "The voice of rejoicing and salvation may be heard in the tabernacles of the righteous." (Ps. cxviii. 15.) THE END, Edinburgh : Printed by John Johnstone, High Street. NEW WORKS IN RELIGIOUS AND GENERAL LITERATURE. THIS LIST COMPRISES WORKS BY Arnot, Rev. William Bagot, Rev. Daniel Beith, Rev. Alexander Boston, Rev. Thomas Brown, Dr Thomas Buchanan, Rev. James Calamy, Rev. Edmund Campbell, Rev. John Candlish, Dr Colquhoun, Lady Craig, Rev. Edward D'Aubigne. J. H. M. 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